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150th Anniversary 


OF TIIE ORGANIZATION OF THE 


To eX Co YW\ » 

. FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST fN POMTRET, CONN., 

A 


OCTOBER 26, 1 865. 


SERMON, HISTORICAL PAPERS, ADDRESSES, 

WITH APPENDIX. 


TRANSCRIPT PRINT, DANIELSONVILLE. 

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TABLE OF CONTEXTS. 


Sermon, by Rev. Walter S. Alexander, pastor of the church, page 5 

Historical Paper—The Pastors of the Church, by Rev. Daniel Hunt, “ 21 
Historical Paper—The Meeting Houses of the Society, by Rev. Daniel 

Hunt, . . . . . . . . “ 36 

Historical Paper—Steps of Progress, by Rev. Daniel Hunt, . . “ 50 

Address, by Rev. Andrew Dunning of Thompson. . . . “ 03 

Address, by Rev. Charles P. Grosvenor of Canterbury, . “ 68 

Address, by Rev. A. C. Thompson, D. D., of Roxburv, . , “ 71 

Address, by Rev. George N. Webber of Lowell, Mass., . “ TO 

APPENDIX. 

Order of Exercises, .“81 

Anniversary Ode, “81 

Sketches of the General History of Pomfret,.“87 


♦ 









SERMON. 


BY REV. WALTER S. 


1/ 

ALEXANDER, 

r 


PASTOR OP THE CHURCH. 


Sons and Daughters of Pomfret: —Gladly would I 
have deferred to the claims of age and wisdom, and as 
a delighted listener mingled with you with filial inter¬ 
est and devotion, in these services of commemoration. 
It is only by virtue of my official relation to this 
church, and yet with a love second to none, that I greet 
you on the conclusion of your pleasant pilgrimage to 
this spot, and bid you welcome to your early home and 
to the shrine of your mother church. 

We invite you to devote the day to olden memories 
—to the warm greetings of friendship and to the cul¬ 
tivation of a higher love for the church and the faith 
that has come down to us through so honorable a suc¬ 
cession. 

The 150th Anniversary! Illustrious event in this 
changing world. On the 26tfi day of October, 1715, 



6 

our fathers organized this church. We, their chil¬ 
dren, meet to-day to commemorate the event by solemn 
religious service—to recall the memories of the olden 
time and to pledge ourselves anew to the work which 
the fathers have transmitted to us. 

The claims of the day upon our affectionate and 
reverent regard will be gratefully conceded. 

The long succession of events that have distinguish¬ 
ed the history of this early church, is fraught with les¬ 
sons of profoundest interest. The lives of the fathers, 
which are written in the annals of the church, are full 
of sublimity. Every line is suggestive of mighty truths 
in which our future is largely involved. 

At the feet of the fathers let us sit to-day as devout 
and filial learners, as they in the infancy of the Amer¬ 
ican church, sat at the feet of the Great Master, and 
gathered from His spirit the inspiration that made 
them mighty in faith and in deed. 

It is our privilege to look back upon a noble line of 
ancestry, whose lives were made heroic by moral and 
spiritual conquests, rather than by deeds of knightly 
valor or the arts of successful war. 

To their teachings and consecrated labors, we trace 
our valued inheritance—our exemptions from the mor¬ 
al evils that hold their carnival in prosperous cities and 
villages—and the brighter results that seem wait¬ 
ing at the doors of the church and which beckon us 
onward to the feast of spiritual in-gathering. 

We find our satisfaction on this memorable day, not 
in the fact that the church planted by our fathers 150 
years ago continues to live, but that she is clothed 
with beauty and grace ; that her faith in the God of 
her fathers is strong—that she recognizes the obliga¬ 
tion to fulfil the trust which they committed unto her, 
and that the promise of her infancy has not failed. 

Regarding the mission upon which the fathers en- 


7 

tered as not only holy, but successful, it becomes the 
grateful duty of the hour to define tlie relation of the 
present to the past, and of the children to the fathers. 

The subject for which I crave your sympathy, is : 

THE INHERITANCE OF THE FATHERS. 

Sixty-six years from the landing of the Pilgrims at 
Plymouth, this ancient town of Pomfret was settled by 
twelve men and their families of the Puritan faith and 
character from Roxbury. 

The Record of the noble men of 1620 has not been 
more sacredly guarded than that of our Pomfret fath¬ 
ers, in whose honor we have met and to whose mem¬ 
ories we pay the filial tribute of our gratitude and 
love. 

The first element of the inheritance into which we 
have entered, which is suggested by their honorable 
record,is; 

(!•) 

THEIR RELIGIOUS FAITH. 

Their type of character was eminently religious. 
Their faith in the great truths of natural and revealed 
religion, was the central element which gave tone and 
form to the entire being. The school in which they 
were trained was adapted to develop the noblest ener¬ 
gies of the nature, and make them what they were— 
men of earnest purpose and firm integrity. The men 
who were born in these early days and who survived 
the storms of adversity that swept over the early New 
England settlements, became, by the very culture of 
trial, strong and determined. Life in all its forms was 
earnest. They but breathed the spirit of the time. 

Their principles assumed the stern character of the 


8 

age, and because of the intelligence and sincerity with 
which they were formed, and the Christian fortitude 
with which they have been maintained, they have 
withstood the shocks of 150 years ! 

The men who planted the institutions of the Gospel 
on these hills, came freshly from the teachings of John 
Eliot, the beloved and devoted pastor of Roxbury. 
Imbued with his spirit, and indoctrinated with his faith, 
they came here the pioneers of a Christian civilization 

By virtue of his pastoral office, Eliot himself came 
to this section, and proclaimed to the Indians, under 
the chieftainship of Uncas and Oweneco, the doctrine 
of 66 No King but Jesus.” 

The great Indian Apostle, the pastor of the first 
proprietors of the Mashmugget purchase, held up the 
cross, in view of these children of the forest, when 
their council fires were lighted within four miles of 
the spot upon which we now stand. 

The original grant by which this territory was ceded 
by letters patent of the Crown to James Fitch of Nor¬ 
wich, afterward Colonial Governor of Connecticut, and 
by him to the six proprietors from Roxbury, bears 
date 1686. 

Some considerable time must have elapsed before 
full possession was taken in person. Woodstock was 
settled at an earlier date, and enjoyed the advantage 
of stated worship and an organized church, while so¬ 
ciety here was in a state of embryo. 

With that church the proprietors of Fomfret wor¬ 
shipped. The journey was long and difficult; the 
way in the winter months being often blocked with 
snow. But their Christian courage rose above oppos¬ 
ing difficulties, and they found a way for themselves 
and their children to the house of God. 

This fact is mentioned, that it may be understood 
that there was no interval in which the teachings of 


9 

Eliot were forgotten or the voice of holy confession 
was silent. 

At the earliest practicable day they organized them¬ 
selves into a township, and at the first town-meeting 
took active measures to secure an established ministry, 
and the preaching of the Gospel of Christ on these 
hills. 

I submit the statement with confidence to your judg¬ 
ment, that no more honorable, record can be found in 
the annals of Pomfret, than that which brings before 
us the fathers of the town, 150 years ago, engaged in 
earnest and solemn council, concerning the spiritual 
welfare of themselves and their children. 

Bear with me as I read the imperishable record :— 

66 May 3rd, 1713. At a meeting of the inhabitants 
and proprietors of Mashmugget, it being our indis¬ 
pensable duty as we would aim at the glory of the 
Lord our God, and consult not only the temporal and 
civil good, but also and especially the spiritual and 
eternal good of our own souls, and the souls of our 
dear wives and children : therefore to lay such a good 
foundation, and make such suitable provision as that 
we may have a Gospel minister settled amongst us, 
and enjoy God in all his holy ordinances—the which 
that we may do it is unanimously voted and agreed to, 
that for the three ensuing years, all the public charge 
in building a meeting-house and minister’s house, and 
settling a minister and his maintainance shall be voted 
after this way : 

“ One half of all the lands within the township as 
granted by a General court as now belonging to each 
inhabitant and proprietor of the township so granted, 
and the other half of public charge as aforesaid on 
head stocks and other ratable estate.” 


10 

1 beg you to remember that this transaction 'bears 
date with the first meeting held with a view to their 
incorporation as a town. There and then they put 
on record, the sublime declaration of their faith in God, 
and voluntarily placed themselves under contribution 
to build a house wherein He might dwell—to bear the 
ark of covenant to the place of its rest, and to keep 
his name in everlasting remembrance. 

By that act, which was in harmony with the succes¬ 
sive events of their history, their religious character is 
established. Everything was made subordinate and 
tributary to the claims of their Christian faith. In no 
case was it the incident, but always the central idea 
that shone forth with the brilliancy of the mroning 
star, amid the mists and shadows of the early dawn. 

It would be interesting to look upon a picture of 
Pomfret as it was 150 years ago. Its natural features 
have not largely changed. There was more of forest 
then than now, although many of these openings were 
never wooded. The signs of cultivation which greet 
us on every side, did not then appear. Nature was 
wild and unsubdued as in the lands toward the setting- 
sun. 

The Indian roamed over these hills—hunted in these 
forests and fished in these streams. The substantial 
and tasteful dwellings that dot the landscape—the 
homes of culture and sweet content, where our fathers 
of a hundred years have lived and died, date not back 
so far as the origin of this church. Only 40 families 
resided within the limits of the Mashmugget purchase. 
Not secure in their dwellings, they fled at night-fall 
to the four spacious fortresses erected at convenient 
points in the town, and which were defended from the 
prowling savage. 

It is well for the children to remember that the es¬ 
tablishment and maintainance of religious institutions 


11 

by our fathers 150 years ago, involved peril and sacri¬ 
fice and determined effort, that we may adequately 
value the inheritance of their faith. 

The nature and grandeur of this Inheritance of the 
fathers more manifestly appears when we consider : 

(no 

THE SPIRIT THAT CONTROLLED THEIR RELIGIOUS LIFE. 

We may not look,in all things, for a correspondence 
between the remote past and the present. 

Mighty changes are involved in a century of years. 
It was a truthful proverb of the old Romans —tempora 
mutant a nos et mutamur in illis. The character of 
civil government—of educational and religious institu¬ 
tions and the social customs of the people, induced by 
the rapid growth of the population, the development 
of natural resources and the increase of intelligence, 
are subject to this transforming influence. 

Each age has its distinct types and characteristics. 
In the religious history of a nation or an age, this 
change will apply to the externals of faith and to the 
forms by which it is expressed : while the spirit that 
controls the action of the soul and the essential prin¬ 
ciples of faith, will remain the same. They are im¬ 
mutable and eternal. They are governed by no law 
of change. The life of religion in the earliest and re¬ 
motest age is identical as the spirit of its Divine Author. 

We should do injustice to the fathers whose deeds 
we commemorate, to doubt their sublime appreciation 
of Christian truth and Christian institutions. They gave 
to religion an early place in their public councils, they 
bowed to its claims in the enactment of local laws. 

Before the first harvest was gathered from these 
broad and productive acres, they made a way through 
the forests to the church of a kindred communion, and 


12 

as soon as the growth of their little community and 
their enjoyment of the privileges of a township war¬ 
ranted the step, they with a glad and willing mind, 
laid upon this hill, within the shadows of their homes, 
the enduring foundations of the church, to be forever 
consecrated to the worship of the God of Israel, and 
which has remained a priceless memorial of their 
faith through the storms and changes of 150 years. 

Pre-eminent in their religious life was the spirit of 
sacrifice. They appreciated the exalted worth of 
Christianity and were willing to meet the cost of its 
maintain ance. 

Sacrifice was an inseparable element of their re¬ 
ligion. It was involved in the minor duties of their 
faith. 

Their church edifices were the slow growth of time. 
The craftsman’s labor was slow and heavy. The 
architecture was rude, suggestive rather of durability 
than of beauty and comfort. 

To rear a temple for the service of God in the ear¬ 
ly time involved the necessity of denial, with regard 
to the person and the household. 

Money had a higher value then than now. He 
who was regarded rich in their day, would be poor in 
ours. What was esteemed extravagance by the fa¬ 
thers would now be called only generosity, if indeed 
it did not incur the charge of parsimony. 

How vast the change !—In our day churches spring 
up, as if by magic—vast Cathedrals, with their grand 
and beautiful proportions, occupy the places, where 
but a few months before the eye was greeted only by 
the lawn or the vacant street. The forests fall and 
the granite mountain crumbles beneath the force of 
machinery. The skillful artificer enjoys the help of 
modern science, and what gave our fathers anxious 
thought, is now quickly determined, and as easily ex- 


13 

ecuted. The resources of the land have been suc¬ 
cessfully developed by the genius and intelligence of 
the age. Increase of population has been * followed 
by a corresponding increase of demand for the produc¬ 
tions of the farm and workshop, and so life and ener¬ 
gy have been infused into every department of busi¬ 
ness. The world has grown rich. The resources of 
the Christian community are vast almost beyond esti¬ 
mate. If now the time seems to demand a new church 
or one of larger proportions and more elaborate archi¬ 
tecture, it can be built without suggesting the thought 
of sacrifice. The financial ability of the church is 
adequate to all judicious demands for enlargement. 
But when our fathers lived, sacrifice was a significant 
word, which they welcomed, even in its severest in¬ 
terpretation, for the sake of the holy objects which it 
contemplated. 

It was a scene worthy of the limner’s pencil, when 
our fathers met in anxious council May 3rd, 1713, and 
pledged themselves to tax their lands, their stock, and 
their ratable estate, for the building of a church on 
this hill, and the permanent maintainance of religious 
institutions ! It is worthy of notice that the record is 
a cheerful one. They consented to this large expen¬ 
diture for the truth’s sake, with the same readiness and 
gladness of heart, that they determined measures for 
the material growth and prosperity of the township. 
The principle of sacrifice receives new lustre from the 
heroic deeds of our fathers, who came, 150 years ago, 
as the pioneers of a Christian civilization to Pomfret. 

The religious faith and worship of the fathers was 
marked by great simplicity. It was the simple belief 
of the soul without adornment. They placed a high 
regard upon the great essentials of religion, but did 
not seek to robe it in its most attractive dress. There 
was undeniably an element of servitude in their faith, 


14 

which has happily passed away, with the enlightening 
influences of time. Their mode of worship was rigidly 
plain and unaffected. A church that was securely 
constructed and that would shelter them from the beat¬ 
ing storm was all they desired. They did not study 
personal comfort, as the old style pews, and the ab¬ 
sence of stoves in mid-winter fully attest. They be¬ 
lieved in the simple power of truth upon the heart. 

This simplicity of faith was very beautiful in its 
time. Skepticism was an aftergrowth of the depraved 
nature. In the first pastorate of the church, the Say- 
brook Platform, as a rule of faith and government, 
was adopted by the harmonious action of the entire 
body. Dissentions in matters of faith have seldom 
disturbed the peace of the church from the beginning 
till now. At the coming in of the present century a 
storm of great bitterness swept over the church and it 
seemed as though she must bow beneath its violence. 
But God appeared and brought His enemies to re¬ 
proach, and crowned the faith of the church with se¬ 
curity and peace. 

The calm that succeeded this tempest was like that 
described by Virgil: “The troubled surge falls down 
from the Rocks, the winds cease, the clouds vanish 
and the threatening waves subside.” 

It is not too late to enter the plea of justification, 
for the seeming austerity of the fathers in the enforce¬ 
ment of discipline. 

But let us not deal so unjustly with their memories 
as to attribute it to the unkindness of their hearts, or 
to the absence of Christ like gentleness and charity. 
The church was the fortress of their strength and the 
hope of the future. It was enshrined in their hearts 
as the object of fondest affection and devotion. The 
noblest sentiment of their souls was enlisted in its de¬ 
fence. Let us attribute the act of excessive severity, 


15 

rather to their consciousness of the holy mission of the 
church—their obligation to maintain its faith inviolate, 
and the peril that was involved in deviation from strict 
integrity. 

Our fathers were good men, and their integrity was 
equal to the strong tests of the age in which they lived. 
A crowning virtue which they illustrated and which 
shines on every page of their record, as the brightest 
gem of the royal coronet, was their just conception of 
the claims of Christ and his advancing kingdom. Let 
their spirit be judged from this elevation, rnd we 
shall find it not only easy to forgive the errors of life 
into which they unconsciously fell, and which are com¬ 
mon to the race, but shall discern deeds of the truest 
nobility, worthy our admiration and grateful remem¬ 
brance. 

It remains only to consider: 

(in.) 

THE WORK WHICH THE FATHERS SUCCESSFULLY BEGAN 

AND TRANSMITTED TO THE CHURCH OF THE SUCCEEDING 

GENERATIONS. 

It is the teaching of history that every age has its 
distinct and appropriate mission. To every genera¬ 
tion of men is assigned a part of the sublime plan by 
which God is working out the highest good and hap¬ 
piness of the race. 

It was given to our fathers to begin the labor of 
Christian reform and evangelization—to subdue the 
wildness of nature and cause the wilderness to bud and 
blossom as the rose,—to lay deep and broad upon 
these hills, the foundations of Christian institutions. 
When they came from their pleasant homes in Roxbu- 
r y— from a Christian community, and the faithful teach* 


16 

in of Eliot, they found no church to welcome them to 
her blessed communion and to throw around them 
the shield of her invincible protection. Pomfret was 
a wilderness, and the wilderness was the home of the 
savage. 

It was given to the fathers to make the first begin¬ 
nings—to plant the seed of the first harvest. The 
church—the civil government—the social fabric, were 
all future ! History tells us how well the fathers ex¬ 
ecuted their trust. Their faith and their labor remain 
as precious memorials to us, between whom and the 
fathers a century and a half of years has rolled. 
Thrice has the golden bridal of the church come and 
gone and yet with the beauty and vitality of her youth 
she welcomes her returning children to-day. 

“ Time rolls his ceaseless course; the race of yore, 

Who danced our infancy upon their knee, 

And told our marveling boyhood legends’ store, 

How are they blotted from the things that be.” 

The fathers have been gathered to the generations 
of the dead. They have entered upon the glorious 
rest and reward of the righteous. They stand before 
the Eternal Throne with the congregation of the just. 
The work which they began with holy faith and fidel¬ 
ity, devolves upon us. 

The church was not organized for a century; but 
for a specific purpose, whose attainment reaches from 
age to age, down to the latest-born of all the genera¬ 
tions. The Great Head of the church commissioned 
the fathers to plant the germ of Christian institutions 
here when nature was wild, and the men who lived 
upon these hills knew only nature for their teacher. 
He has commissioned the children to sustain the work 
of the fathers, and make the vine of their planting 
vigorous and fruitful, and to build upon the broad 
foundation which they laid a superstructure that shall 
survive the ages. 


IT 

In her sympathies and affections this church is a 
part of the church universal. The faith she enter¬ 
tains and defends is held in common with a vast com¬ 
munion of Christian confessors. The command of the 
Master is to evangelize the nations—to “ prepare the 
way of the Lord, to make straight in the desert a 
highway for our God.” 

The hope of the church includes the universal prev¬ 
alence of truth and righteousness—the certain ap¬ 
proach of the time when the nations shall become the 
conquests of Christ, and the fruits of redemption. 
The responsibility of honoring this wide command of 
the Master is shared by all branches of the visible 
church. This is the general inheritance transmitted 
from one generation to another. 

The fathers who planted this church 150 years ago, 
left us not only our appropriate part of this general 
inheritance, but one of a more local nature and bound¬ 
ed by narrower limits. 

They found Pomfret a wilderness, inhabited by the 
savage. They subdued the forests and cultivated the 
fields by the arts of useful husbandry. They organ¬ 
ized a society upon Christian principles that represent 
the faith of the Apostles and their Teacher and Mas¬ 
ter, Christ. 

The change between the Pomfret of 1715 and the 
Pomfret of 1865—the superiority of the civilization 
of this day to the barbarism of the red men of the 
forest, is directly attributable to the influence of a vi¬ 
tal Christianity.. Our local inheritance is circumscrib¬ 
ed by the limits of Pomfret. Here we are to main¬ 
tain the Gospel. Here we are to defend the faith of 
the fathers from the assault of the alien and the foe. 
Here we are to guard the heritage of the fathers from 
reproach and invasion. 

Pomfret will be in the future, as in the past, an ag- 


18 

ricultural township. These farms should be owned 
by men of American birth—of American sympathies, 
and of the faith that glowed in the hearts of* those 
holy men who planted the Gospel of Christ upon 
American shores ! Let the young men of Pomfret 
apprehend the nobility of labor where their fathers 
lived and labored and died. Let them silence the ap¬ 
peals that greet them from the feverish channels of 
speculation; let them welcome to their hearts the 
simple faith of their fathers, and the streams of influ¬ 
ence that shall go from this ancient church, will bear 
life and health and joy upon their waters and make 
glad the city of God. 

Entertaining just views of the sacred obligations 
devolved upon us, let us at the beginning reiterate the 
cry of the Crusaders at the siege of Jerusalem, “ Deus 
id vult,” “ It is the will of God”—and prove that the 
inheritance of the fathers has not fallen to unworthy 
hands. 

Could the roll of this ancient church and the larger 
roll of the congregation, who have worshipped in the 
meeting-house of the society be called—and the hon¬ 
ored dead answer to their names, we should listen to 
illustrious voices. Names that have, become historic 
are inseparably interlinked with the annals of this 
church. 

Far back in Colonial times, Jonathan Belcher , after¬ 
ward an illustrious Governor of Massachusetts colony, 
occupied a seat in the old meeting-house. The vote 
of the town granting him permission to build his pew 
at the right of the pulpit is upon the early records. 

In this town John Hancock, governor of Massa¬ 
chusetts, and President of the Congress that issued the 
immortal Declaration of Independence, spent the 
summer months, and in this church he listened to the 


19 

faithful sermons of Aaron Putnam, with whom he 
sustained relations of warm personal friendship. 

Here Israel Putnam, the historic name of Pomfret, 
who died within sight of this hill, had his home. His 
name is still upon the records of the old Library As¬ 
sociation formed in connection with this society, in 
1721-22. 

It would be a grateful study to trace the history of 
the children of this church who have borne the les¬ 
sons of truth received within her communion, into all 
the learned professions and almost every channel of 
business life. 

It would pleasantly beguile the hour to speak of the 
illustrious names of Grosvenor, Sabin and Chandler 
borne by the first proprietors of Pomfret and with 
equal honor by their lineal descendants who are still 
with us. 

It is the bidding of filial affection to gather these 
treasured recollections of the past, that the coming 
generations may understand their indebtedness to the 
parent church. But our honored Mother needs not 
this service at the hand of one so lately adopted into 
her family as myself; while another lives—upon whom 
many will look to-day with eyes made tearful by pre¬ 
cious memories—as their spiritual father—and all, as 
a safe counselor and a faithful friend. The years 
since you have heard his voice in the ministrations of 
the sanctuary have told heavily upon him. His form 
is enfeebled by disease—his step is slow and his breath 
difficult, but his heart is warm as in his youth, and no 
one greets the returning children of the church with 
a truer or a heartier welcome than he. 

To him we would say with united voice, as Horace 
said to Augustus, 

Serus in caelum redeas, diuque, 

Laetus intersis populo. 


20 

Around us to-day are die spirits of the honored 
dead. The air is tremulus with their whispered voi¬ 
ces. They take up the strains of earthly song and 
swell them to a grander and richer chorus. 

Memory will be busy, recalling faces once familiar 
and friends once dear, but whose hearts are still. It 
will not seem invidious to make mention of one who 
would have graced our assembly and welcomed with 
a heart overfull of love, the returning children of the 
church. He was endowed with kingly qualities of 
mind and heart and his death was kingly. 

The honored name of Job Williams will be often 
spoken to-day, and his memory enkindled afresh in 
many hearts. Shall we ever cease to mourn him ? 

One who had no faith in God and but little in man, 
said: 

“ The very cypress droops to death— 

Dark tree, still sad, when other’s grief is fled; 

The only constant mourner o’er the dead."’ 

False and atheistical sentiment! Yet in the high¬ 
est sense we do net mourn the sainted dead, for our 
hearts cannot and would not forget that, 

“ They rest from their labors and their works do 
follow them.” 

Let not the memory of those whom we have lost 
—whose earthly re-unions are no more—who have 
passed beyond the sighing and the weeping—beyond 
the sinning and the dying—beyond the ever and the 
never—tinge with sadness these hours of holy festival. 
Their song is sweeter—their banquet richer, and their 
communion more blessed than ours. 

Are not the fathers of 1715 and the children of 1865 
members of one church, though a part have cross¬ 
ed the flood ] Christ is its living Head, and around 
Him the successive generations will gather till the last 
redeemed child of the race has entered the Fathers 
House. 


21 


PASTORS OF THE CHURCH. 

- -/ 

BY REV. D. HUNT. 


The early inhabitants of Pomfret were persons who 
feared God and loved the institutions and ordinances 
of religion. They bore to the wilderness, here, the im¬ 
pressions which that holy and enterprising servant of 
Christ, John Eliot, their pastor, had made upon their 
hearts. 

As soon as their number and circumstances would 
admit, they commenced exertions to have the stated 
ministry of the gospel and a sanctuary. 

Having obtained, by grant of the General Assembly, 
May 14th, 1713, all the privileges of corporate towns, 
on the 28th of October of the same year, the town vo¬ 
ted—“ to give an orthodox minister, such an one as 
shall be acceptable to the pepple, £150 in money for 
and toward buying his land and building his house— 
also to break up four acres of land and plant two, 
with an orchard—and for his salary £55 in money for 
the first year, until such time as there shall be sixty 
families settled in the town, and then £70 a year ev¬ 
er after, so long as he shall continue his ministerial 
relation to us—and Ebenezer Sabin and Samuel War¬ 
ner are chosen to go and bring a minister to preach 
and settle here. And it is voted in the first place that 
they shall make their application to Mr. Ebenezer 
Williams of Roxbury, and show him a copy of the 
votes respecting the settling of a minister here, and if 
he will accept of what is offered and come and be our 
minister, they shall seek no farther; but if he may not 




22 

be prevailed upon to come, then they shall make their 
address to such others as shall seem advisable. 

At a subsequent meeting, viz, Nov. 19th, 1713, the 
following resolution was adopted,—“ Whereas some¬ 
time since the town employed some persons to wait 
on Mr. Williams to come and preach among us, who 
being newly come off his journey, could not be pre¬ 
vailed to come, the town expressing their great value 
for the said Mr. Williams, desiring he may be further 
addressed by letter, to come and preach with us for 
the space of six months, which if it may be obtained, 
the town promises to pay him for that time such a sal¬ 
ary as shall be honorable and to his satisfaction; hop¬ 
ing that at the end of said time we may have such ex¬ 
perience of each other as that the providence of God 
may open a door for his settlement, and it is desired 
that Mr. Williams will please send his answer.” 

At a meeting held three months after, viz, Feb. 16th, 
1714, the following was passed,—“ Whereas the in¬ 
habitants of this town at a public meeting sometime 
since, did agree to address Mr. Ebenezer Williams of 
Roxbury, to come and preach here for the space of 
six months, hoping at the end of that time to have 
such experience of each other as that the providence 
of God will open the door for his settlement, and the 
6aid Mr. Williams being accordingly applied unto, did 
in convenient time, viz, Dec. 23rd, 1713, come unto 
us, and has, as much as the providence of God would 
permit, continued to preach unto us ever since; and 
now although the said six months be not nearly ex¬ 
pired, yet the people by the little experience they have 
had of Mr. Williams are very well satisfied with him, 
finding him to be a gentleman very agreeable to them, 
and every way willing to accept of him for their min¬ 
ister, and to let him know what encouragement they 
will give him to settle with them. Accordingly there- 


2S 

fore, they do freely and faithfully promise and engage 
that if the said Mr. Williams doth like the town, and 
shall and will settle here in the work of the gospel 
ministry, they will give him £170 in money toward 
buying his land and building his house, and for his 
salary £60 yearly for four years, and after that to raise 
20 shillings yearly until it shall come to £70, and then 
to stand at £70 per annum so long as he shall contin¬ 
ue his ministerial labors among us. 

And Mr. Williams being personally present for sev¬ 
eral weighty and serious considerations him thereunto 
moving, particularly for and in the consideration of 
what the town has offered him, doth freely, faithfully, 
and sincerely promise that he will settle in this town, 
in the work of the ministry, and by the grace of God 
enabling him, will endeavor to discharge aright all the 
duties belonging to his profession.” 

In June following, the proprietors of the town held 
a meeting in Roxbury, and for the further encourage¬ 
ment of Mr. Williams to settle here in the gospel 
ministry, voted to give him two hundred acres of land 
out of their undivided portion. 

May 19th, 1715, the town voted that Dea. Sabin Lt. 
Chandler, Samuel Warner, Ensign Grosvenor, Abiel 
Lyon and Jonathan Hyde be a committee to treat with 
Mr. Williams about his ordination. 

Sept. 14th, 1715, voted that the ordination of Mr. 
Williams be on the 26th day of October (or the last 
Wednesday.) Also voted that an ordination dinner 
be provided for forty persons, viz, ministers and mes¬ 
sengers of the churches. Also that the aforesaid gen¬ 
tlemen be entertained as much as necessary before the 
ordination, at the town’s charge. Voted, that Dea. 
Sabin, Samuel Warner, Edward Pay son, Jonathan 
Hyde, Nathaniel Sessions and Eben Truesdale be a 



24 


committee to take care that a good dinner be provided 
and all things carried on in good order.” 

According to these arrangements this church was 
organized and Mr. Williams was ordained its first pas¬ 
tor, after having preached to the people nearly two 
years. 

Rev. Ebenezer Williams was born at Roxbury, 
Mass., August 12th, 1690—was the son of Samuel and 
Deborah Scarborough Williams, and nephew of Rev. 
John Williams of Deerfield, famous for his captivity 
among the Indians. He graduated at Harvard Col¬ 
lege, 1709, where he was A. M. in course. His charge 
as pastor of this church he held until his death, which 
occurred suddenly, March 28th, 1753, in the sixty- 
third year of his age, and the thirty-eighth year of his 
ministry. 

During his ministry both the churches, Brooklyn 
and Abington, were formed from members dismissed 
from this church, for that purpose. 

Mr. Williams was held in high esteem, not only by 
his own people, but throughout the State. His assis¬ 
tance was often sought in conncils and matters of ec¬ 
clesiastical difficulty in various and remote places. He 
was fellow of Yale College from 1731 to 1748. 

In a sermon preached on the occasion of his death, 
the Rev. Solomon Williams, D. D., of Lebanon, said: 
“ He was a person of good natural and acquired abil¬ 
ities, great activity and application. Though he was 
not favored with the most happy elocution, yet he was 
a plain, faithful preacher of the great and important 
doctrines of Christ. In him this people Were blessed 
with a wise, judicious, sound orthodox minister. 

By a vote of this society the funeral charges of Mr. 
Williams were defrayed at its expense, and a monu¬ 
mental tablet was also placed over his grave. 

Mr. Williams married Penelope, daughter of John 


25 


Chester, Jun., of Weathersfield, and had a son Ches¬ 
ter who was pastor at Hadley, Mass., and a member 
of the Council that dismissed Jonathan Edwards from 
the church in Northhampton. He had a son Eben- 
ezer who lived in this town, greatly beloved and con¬ 
fided in. He was Judge of the County Court, and of 
the Court of Probate,—often represented the town in 
the legislature—performed much military service— 
commanded at Port Edwards in 1757, and was Colo¬ 
nel of a regiment of militia in the Ee volution, which 
did service in the neighborhood of New York. The 
only daughter of Mr. Williams was Hannah, who 
married Gen. Zech. Huntington of Norwich. The 
widow of Mr. Williams died June 29th, 1764, aged 
74 years. 

Mr. Williams wrote a will in his last days, but dy¬ 
ing suddenly it was not executed. His children, how¬ 
ever, agreed to settle the estate under the will. And 
when the will and the doings of the court thereon 
were subsequently burned, they petitioned the legis¬ 
lature to confirm the settlement which they had made. 
This shows that Mr. Williams had, like Abraham, 
commanded his children and his household after him, 
and they rose up after his decease and called him bless¬ 
ed. 

The second pastor of this church was Eev. Aaron 
Putnam. He was the son of Eev. Daniel Putnam of 
Eeading, Mass.—was born Dec. 5th, 1733—gradua¬ 
ted at Harvard College 1752, was A. M. in course, 
studied Theology with Eev. Dr. Hall of Sutton, Mass. 

He was called to settle as pastor of this church, 
Nov. 17th, 1755, and gave his answer on the 8th of 
Feb. following in a sermon from Job 33: 6: “ Behold 
I am according to thy wish in God’s stead, I also 
am formed out of the clay.” 


26 

On the 25th of Feb. a fast was observed with 
reference to his settlement. Two sermons were 
preached, and Mr. Putnam was examined by seven 
ministers as to his qualifications for the work of the 
ministry. His ordination took place on March 10th, 
1756. Sermon by Rev. Samuel Mosely of Hampton. 

Mr. Putnam proved an eminently useful and accept¬ 
able minister of Christ. Serious and godly in his de¬ 
portment—careful to admonish transgressors and to 
maintain order in the house of God. He was an ex¬ 
cellent scholar, particularly skilled, it is said, in the 
Greek language and literature which in his time was 
not so thoroughly studied as it is now. He fitted many 
young men for college, some of whom became emi¬ 
nent in their professions, such as Rev. Dr. Sumner of 
Shrewsbury, Rev. Dr. Josiah Dana of Ipswich and 
Rev. Nehemiah Williams of Brimfield, Mass., Hon. 
Elisha Williams of Hudson, N. Y., the celebrated 
Samuel Dexter of Boston, and the Hon. Wm. Prescott, 
(father of the historian). He had at one time seven 
young men in Yale College, all of whom it is believed 
became ministers of the gospel—[an example this for 
pastors of the present day]. Of Samuel Dexter, Mr. 
P. is remembered to have said, he was the best schol¬ 
ar he ever knew. 

In the latter part of Mr. Putnam’s ministry, his health 
failed, and finally his voice, so that he was unable to 
preach. During this period he wrote sermons, which 
were read on the Sabbath to the people. His watch¬ 
fulness and fatherly care of the flock of which the 
Holy Ghost had made him overseer, were conspicuous 
in all this period. His written messages of love and 
faithfulness were passing daily to the families and in¬ 
dividuals of the parish. So constantly was his grand¬ 
son, who bore them, in the streets, that he received the 
appellation of “Mr. Putnam’s post.” 


27 

But the church suffered much from the want of a 
speaking preacher. Besides in the attempt to settle a 
colleague pastor they became divided. A part went off 
and settled under the ministry of Oliver Dodge—the 
rejected candidate—assuming the name of 44 The Re¬ 
formed Catholic Church of Pomfret.” 

This schism gave rise to a controversy in which the 
ministers and leading men of the county became in¬ 
volved. During its continuance, the 44 city of God” here, 
became as a widow in her weeds; 44 she wept sore in 
the night and her tears were upon her cheeks.” Those 
who adhered to Mr. Putnam—a feeble band—used to 
meet on the Sabbath, in the great and empty house, 
once thronged with people, to read the word of God 
and pray; and their faithful, but speechless pastor 
showed his approbation by his constant presence. 

At length God heard their prayers. Dodge became 
a drunkard and an apostate. His followers, disgusted 
with him and sad for the trouble they had made, re¬ 
turned to the society and church which they had left, 
and happily united in the choice of Mr. King as col¬ 
league pastor. But when the council convened for 
Mr. King’s ordination, it was thought best that Mr. 
Putnam should be dismissed; which was accordingly 
done, May 5th, 1802. It was agreed, however, that 
the aged pastor should receive an annual allowance 
during his life. 

Mr. Putnam survived his dismission eleven years, 
and died Oct. 28th, 1813—in the eightieth year of his 
age. The sermon at his funeral was preached by Rev. 
Dr. Whitney of Brooklyn who was scribe of the coun¬ 
cil which ordained him 57 years before. He says, 
44 Mr. Putnam afforded a remarkable example of pa¬ 
tience and submission to the will of God ; that he 
was favored with the free use of his reason, and even 
his speech was considerably restored in the last year 


28 


of his life. His last words were, u Take me hence ; I 
long to be gone that I may be free from sin.” 

As the ministry of Mr. Putnam extended through 
the whole period of the Revolution, it was desired to 
ascertain the character of his patriotism and influence 
in connection with that struggle,—but nothing defi¬ 
nite has been found. Some ministers in those days 
made themselves conspicuous in the cause of liberty. 
They left their mark on their generation. As the 
people of Pomfret were remarkably earnest in the 
cause of freedom, and prompt to furnish # men and 
means to resist oppression (some 18 of the citizens 
being killed and wounded at Bunker Hill and 70 men 
serving in the regular army during the war, besides 
considerable militia service)—there is little doubt 
their pastor was before hand with them and gave the 
sign. He could not have staid in the place if he had 
been indifferent. Moreover, the personal friendship 
of Gov. Hancock and other eminent patriots which 
he long enjoyed, indicates the same. 

On the whole, while the ministry of Mr. Putnam 
maintained an average character with the ministry of 
the county for talents and learning, or even more than 
this, it would seem that its distinguishing trait, that 
which left its mark in history—for which he was most 
spoken of while living and of which there is the long¬ 
est memory now that he is dead—was goodness. His 
goodness outshone all inferior qualities as the sun 
puts out the stars. 

Mr. Putnam published a sermon (1798,) on the Be¬ 
ing of God. In 1801, Discourses on Baptism, also, 
several other papers and tracts. 

He married Oct. 30th, 1760, Rebecca, daughter of 
Rev. Dr. Hall of Sutton, Mass., by whom he had one 
son and four daughters. This lady was killed by a 
fall from a carriage, July 1773. He then married 


29 


Elizabeth, daughter of Rev. Ephraim Avery of Brook¬ 
lyn, and had four daughters and one son, Aaron. 

The family of Mr. P. were remarkably devout and 
holy persons. All traditions of them bring de¬ 
lightful evidence that they belonged to “ that family of 
which God is the Father and Christ the first-born 
among many brethren.” The son graduated at Brown 
University, 1811. After engaging in business a few 
years in Philadelphia, he became a minister of the 
gospel—in character much resembling his father. He 
died the pastor of a Presbyterian church in Cherry 
Valley, N. Y. 

[For some of the statements in this sketch of Mr. 
Putnam the writer is indebted to Hon. David Hall of 
New York.] 

The third pastor of this church, was the Rev. Asa 
King. He was born in Mansfield, 1769,—the son of 
John and Elizabeth King. His advantages for early 
education were limited. When about 18 years of age 
he became deeply interested in the subject of religion 
and united with the church in his native place. From 
this time he began to entertain a strong desire for an 
education and for the work of the ministry. Want of 
funds and also of health stood in his way—but he re¬ 
solved, if possible, to obtain education sufficient to 
qualify him to be a preacher of the gospel. He spent 
two and a half years in an academy at Jamaica, L. I., 
and then entered Princeton College, where he con¬ 
tinued one year and then left for want of funds and 
health. After teaching a few months at Easton, Pa., 
he came to New Haven and engaged as a teacher of a 
select school where he continued with high reputa¬ 
tion for three and a half years. He left, this school 
in the spring of 1801, and entered the Theological 
school of Rev. Dr. Backus of Somers. In the au¬ 
tumn of the same year he was licensed to preach the 


30 


gospel by the New Haven West. Association. He soon 
came to Pomfret, and was ordained pastor of this 
church, May 5th, 1802. 

During his ministry this church was greatly blessed. 
Peace and harmony were established after the long 
controversy which had preceded. Precious seasons 
of revival were enjoyed. One of these seasons, 
which occurred in 1808, and which brought seventy 
persons into the church, was probably the most gen¬ 
eral and pervading of any revival that ever occurred 
in this parish. It was also the most radical and thor¬ 
ough in its work upon the individual subjects of it. 
It changed the character and habits of the place and 
laid the foundations of good for future generations. 
The fruits of that revival have never ceased to be 
manifest. They are the inheritance of the present 
day. Our late beloved Dea. Job Williams came into 
the church at that time. 

In June, 1811, Mr. King was dismissed on account 
of his health and also on account of what seemed to 
him, an inadequate pecuniary support. But the peo¬ 
ple always regretted that they did not make the need¬ 
ful exertion to keep him. 

He was soon re-settled in North Killingworth, 
where powerful revivals were enjoyed under his min¬ 
istry and many were added to the Lord—100 being 
received into the church at one time. In 1832 his 
labors were there brought to a close in consequence 
of his firmness in opposing the use and sale of intox¬ 
icating drinks. 

A few months only elapsed, and he was again set¬ 
tled over the church in Westminster in this county. 
There, after a ministry of almost seventeen years, he 
died Dec. 2d, 1849, nearly eighty years of age— 
greatly respected and beloved by the people of his 
charge, and by the whole circle of his acquaintance. 


31 


As a minister, Mr. King showed great fidelity to 
the cause of his Divine Master, and to precious souls. 
A deep spirit of piety seemed to pervade his whole 
conduct, and he was honored with great success in his 
work. The last months of his life were months of 
suffering—yet they were greatly blessed to him. He 
said, “ he never saw his assurance so strong, nor his 
Saviour so precious.” “ There was not a straw out of 
place in God’s government.” 

Mr. King was twice married ; first, to Miss Eunice 
Howe of Mansfield, by whom he had one son and two 
daughters ; secondly, to Mrs. Crissa Judson, widow of 
Mr. Zwinglius Judson and daughter of Rev. Wm. 
Storrs of Westford. 

[For several of the statements concerning Mr. King 
the writer of this sketch is indebted to Rev. R. C. 
Learned and Rev. F. Williams.] 

The fourth pastor of this church was Rev. James 
Porter. He was born at Wenham, Mass., June 18th, 
1785, the son of James and Hannah (Curtis) Porter ; 
but was removed with his parents in 1786, to Peter¬ 
borough, N. H. He graduated at Williams • College 
in 1810, and received the Master’s degree from Yale 
College in 1815. 

x\fter leaving college he taught awhile in Belfast, 
Me. He studied Theology with Rev. Alfred Johnson 
and was licensed to preach the gospel in May, 1812. 
He began to preach in Pomfret, Feb. 1314, and was 
ordained pastor of this church, Sept. 8th, of the same 
year. The sermon was preached by his pastor, Rev. 
Elijah Dunbar, of Peterborough, N. H. 

This charge he held until April 23d, 1830, when in 
consequence of protracted bodily infirmity he was dis¬ 
missed at his own request. Soon after this he remov¬ 
ed to Ashford. In April, 1834, he removed to South 
Woodstock. In 1849, he again removed to Stafford, 


32 


where he died June 6th, 1856, aged seventy-one years. 

Mr. Porter was a man of much solidity and strength 
of character. Though a feeble man oppressed with 
disease, he had great equanimity. He knew how to 
possess his soul in patience, and was wise to ask ai 
question or give an answer. He did not speak unad¬ 
visedly with his lips. He knew how not to speak at 
all, and by his silence to teach and impress the whole 
parish. Hence his presence preserved the peace of 
the church, and also of the neighborhood. Said a 
man to the writer, who is not particularly religious or 
church going, “ Mr. P. was a peace-maker.” 

Being moderate in his manner, strangers might 
think him dull and inefficient. But no man ever 
wrought out and set in order so many ways of doing 
good in this parish as Mr. Porter. He was in ad¬ 
vance of his time in every good work. He establish¬ 
ed the first Sabbath School in this region. He began 
the first monthly concert for prayer—took a collection 
and paid into the Treasury of Foreign Missions the 
first money that was collected at a monthly concert 
in Connecticut. He set on foot and arranged 
plans for our various charitable contributions, 
which have continued as model schemes to the 
present time. He set himself against the pre¬ 
vailing intemperance of the place and was the first to 
put his hand to the work of temperance reform, call¬ 
ing to his aid one of the fathers of this church, Da¬ 
rius Matthewson, Esq., who told the writer that he, 
as President of the Windham Co. Temperance Socie¬ 
ty, had held a temperance meeting in every parish in 
the County, and in some parishes many such meetings. 

Though a poor man—afflicted with protracted sick¬ 
ness in his person and in his family, Mr. Porter was 
surprisingly ready to give something to every object 
f Christian benevolence. Thus he blessed himself 


33 


and taught the people how to be blessed by giving. 

His preaching was attended with much spiritual 
power. During the period of his ministry several sea¬ 
sons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord were 
enjoyed, in each of which many valuable members 
were added to the church. Some of the most marked 
and impressive cases of conversion that have ever oc¬ 
curred here, were under his ministry. 

But “the Lord weakened his strength by the way.” 
There was great sorrow when he resigned and left the 
parish. But the Lord cared for him. Though desti- 
titute of health and of the necessary means of support, 
with great affliction at times in his family, he seemed 
never to want. When asked, “ How much salary a 
minister needed to live]” He said he thought “ he 
could live very well without any.” 

In all the places where he resided after leaving 
Pomfret, he was greatly beloved and confided in by 
the people, and his influence was great for the truth. 
The families on which he called felt the power of his 
goodness. His presence in the prayer-meeting was 
the comfort of the saints—in the Sabbath School it 
gave light and joy. His pastor said at his funeral, 
“ The children of the Sabbath School loved him as 
they did their eyes.” 

His last sickness was short. But he glorified God 
by the same quiet submission and assurance that had 
marked all his Christian life. When his pastor asked 
him what he should pray for, he said, “ Pray that God 
may be glorified whether I live or die.” So he passed 
away. Mr. Porter published a sermon preached at 
the funeral of Dea. Simon Cotton, and another preach¬ 
at the funeral of Samuel H. Lyon at Abington. 

He was twice married. First to Miss Eliza, daugh¬ 
ter of Dea. Benjamin Nourse of Merrimac, N. H., by 
whom he had three daughters all of whom preceded 


34 


him to the grave. Secondly, to Miss Lucinda Grant, 
daughter of Dr. Minor Grant of Ashford. 

Mr. Porter and all his family sleep together in the 
ancient burying-ground of Pomfret. 

The fifth pastor of this church was Rev. Amzi Ben¬ 
edict. He was born at New Canaan,May 1791. The 
youngest son of Isaac and Jane (Raymond) Benedict. 
He graduated at Yale College, 1814, studied Theology 
at Andover, where he was distinguished as a scholar 
—was ordained with two others at Newbury, Sept. 
24th, 1818, as missionary to the destitute parts of the 
country. After spending some years in this service 
and others in teaching he was installed pastor at Ver¬ 
non, June 30th, 1824. Then again in Pomfret, Oct. 
19th, 1831, and was dismissed from the pastorate of 
this church, July 15, 1834. 

Mr. Benedict’s ministry was short but attended with 
power from on High, especially during the first year. 
He came to this place as a reaper and gathered the 
harvest of a long and tearful sowing, then passed on. 
He remarked to his successor as he left, that he saw 
scarcely a person in the congregation, out of child¬ 
hood, who did not express some hope of forgiveness. 
Seventy-seven persons were added to this church dur¬ 
ing his ministry, of two years and nine months. 

After leaving this place he was settled as pastor 
some four years, at Manlius, N. Y., where there was 
a powerful revival of religion among the young peo¬ 
ple. Afterward he was Principal of a Female Semi¬ 
nary in New Haven. For nearly two years he sup¬ 
plied the the pulpit of Rev. Dr. Bond of Norwich. 
About 1854, he resided in Chelsea, Mass. In the 
spring of 1855, he took charge of a small society in 
Yorktown, Westchester Co., N. Y., where he labored 
with much satisfaction until he received an injury on 
the Railroad at Stamford, of which he died three 


35 


weeks after at the house of his son-in-law at Brooklyn 
L. I., Nov. 17th, 1856, at the age of sixty-five years. 

His sufferings were great, but he experienced in 
full (says a friend) the supporting comforts of the re¬ 
ligion he had so long professed and preached, and 
which he had adorned by an exemplary and devoted 
life. He was a diligent student—a faithful and earn¬ 
est preacher, a watchful pastor. 

He published several sermons in the National 
Preacher, and elsewhere, also, a work in 1850, enti¬ 
tled a “ Biblical Trinity,” of which he was preparing 
a second edition at the time of his death. 

Mr. B. married in 1825, Martha S., daughter of 
Gen. Solomon Cowles of Farmington; and had five 
children, of whom four survive him and reside in 
Brooklyn, N. Y. 

[For parts of this sketch of Mr. B. see Rev. R. C. 
Learned on Windham Co. ministers in Congregational 
Quarterly.] 

The sixth and seventh pastors of this church still 
survive and being present to-day, are known to you 
all. Their history cannot now be written. May it 
be, that when their work is done and they have passed 
to the unseen world, their record may be found with 
the Just. 


36 


MEETING HOUSES. 


BY REV. D. HUNT. 


While the people of Pomfret were making arrange¬ 
ments to obtain and settle a minister of the gospel 
among them, they at the same time made arrange¬ 
ments to build a meeting-house. 

Dec. 22d, 1713. After voting that Abiel Lyon, 
Leicester Grosvenor, and Philemon Chandler, be a 
committee to take care about a burying-place, it was 
also voted that there should be a meeting-house built 
with all convenient speed. Dea. Benjamin Sabin, 
Lieut. John Sabin and Philemon Chandler were chosen 
and appointed a committee in that behalf, and it was 
agreed that they should have ample power in all re¬ 
spects, as such committees usually have in other towns 
in such matters. 

It is to be understood that Mr. Williams is now here 
and is preaching, as he has opportunity, probably in 
private houses. 

Feb. 16th, 1714. Voted that the meeting-house 
should be set on White’s Plain* and such part of it as 
the Committee hereafter named shall determine, viz : 
Lieut. John Sabin, Dea. Sabin, Cornet Sawyer, Nathan¬ 
iel Gary, Sergt. Leicester Grosvenor, Abiel Lyon, Na¬ 
thaniel Sessions, Ebenezer Truesdell, and Joseph 
Chandler. 

March 8th, 1714. Town added two more to the 


♦This was a little more than quarter of a mile South of this house, on the 
East side of the road. 





37 


committee and voted a rate of £300 to defray the charge 
of the meeting-house. 

The house was raised on the 27th day of April, 
and covered during the summer. 

In Aug. 27tli, 1714, the town voted that there should 
be a rate of £350 of instead £300 as before. Also vo¬ 
ted that the meeting-house should be carried no farther 
at present than to have the floor laid, the pulpit set 
up, the doors made and hung, the windows finished, and 
the body of seats and the ministers pew made. 

This house fronted toward the south, with the end 
to the road; had galleries on three sides—a large 
door at the South side in front, and nine windows— 
four on the lower story and five above—a smaller door 
at the west end, looking into the street. The body 
of the house was filled with seats, built by the town, 
fronting the pulpit. On the walls, pews were built by 
the several owners and occupants of them. The seats 
in the gallery were like those in the body of the house. 

At the meeting last referred to, after directing about 
the pulpit and the minister’s pew: It was also voted 
that Mr. Belcher should have liberty to build a pew in 
our meeting-house, next to the pulpit, at the West end 
of it. [This Jonathan Belcher, Esq., was the man 
who owned the tract of land in the East part of the 
town, lying between the Mashamoquet purchase and 
the Quinebaug River, and also that part of Brooklyn 
called Mortlake. He seems to have resided here for a 
time. He was subsequently the Royal Governor of 
Massachusetts from 1729 to 1740.] 

After Gov. Belcher, it was voted that Capt. Chand¬ 
ler shall have liberty to build a pew at the north-west 
corner of our meeting-house. It was also considered 
that Capt. Sabin shall have liberty to build for himself 
a pew in some convenient place in the meeting-house. 

Also that Lieut. Samuel Williams have the same 


38 


privilege. At the same meeting it was voted that the 
£350 shall be raised in three rates : One for the meet¬ 
ing-house ; one for Mr. Williams’ settlement and one: 
other for his salary. 

Now we may suppose (in this autumn of 1714) the: 
meeting-house is used for preaching purposes, though 
not entirely finished. Later in the season, viz : No¬ 
vember 9th, 1714, voted with respect to labor that has 
been performed by the inhabitants about the meeting¬ 
house, as follows, viz : That a single hand shall have 
2s. 6d. per day (42 cents) and subsist himself—that 
good teams shall have for ordinary work, 5s. 6d. a day 
(that is a man and a team)—and for going to Ashford 
8s. per day, and as much for going to Stoddard’s Cedar 
swamp. (This swamp was in the west part of Brook¬ 
lyn, South of Jericho.) Insufficient teams, to have 
reasonable wages to be adjusted by the Committee. It 
was also voted that the men who rode to Hartford,, 
(about the act of Incorporation of the Town).and to 
the “Bay,” for Mr. Williams, should have 4s. per day. 

The next spring, viz : May 9th, 1715, it was voted 
that the space in the meeting-house at the West end, 
between the stairs and door, be a place for boys to sit 
in, (i. e. at the right hand of the pulpit.) Also voted 
that Lieut. Chandler shall have liberty to build a pew 
for himself and family in our meeting-house, at the 
South side between the great door and the next win¬ 
dow. Also, That Benj. Sitton shall have liberty to 
build a pew for himself and family, in the meeting¬ 
house, adjoining to the East of Lieut. Chandler. Al¬ 
so granted liberty to Messrs. James Danielson, senior 
and junior, to build a pew at the south side of the 
meeting house, to the west of the great door. Al¬ 
so, that Edward Pay son shall have liberty to build a 
pew next to Mr. Danielson’s, between that and the 
stairs; Provided they all finish them by the last of 


39 

September next, (i. e. in five months), and take in and 
cause all their families to sit there, if it may be with 
convenience. [I do not understand this proviso ; per¬ 
haps they were a sort of afternoon men who needed 
this kind of quickening.] 

At the same meeting, May, 1715, it was voted that 
the committee for the meeting-house shall buy 2000 
feet of boards, for and towards building the meeting¬ 
house. 

During this summer of 1715, we suppose the house 
is, for the present, finished. In October, the church 
is organized, and the pastor is ordained. In May of 
the succeeding year, viz : May 30th, 1716, town voted 
a rate of £130, for and towards defraying'charge of the 
meeting-house. 

In December following, (3d day, 1716,) voted a 
committee for fencing in the meeting-house. 

Also voted that Nathaniel Gary should have liberty 
to build a house in the highway for himself and fami¬ 
ly to sit in Sabbadays. At the same meeting voted 
that the meeting-house should be seated according to 
the rates they have paid,—having respect to age and 
dignity. Ensign Grosvenor, Dea. Philemon Chandler 
and Edward Payson, committee. (This was a task 
worthy of those who undertake to grade the different 
aristocracies that figure in Beacon Street or Fifth 
Avenue.) 

Three years pass and the town vote, December 1719, 
to build a balcony for a bell, which Jonathan Belcher 
offers to bestow. 

The next year (December 5th, 1720) the town vote 
liberty to any of the inhabitants to build stables for 
horses, near the meeting-house, on the North side of 
the same, i. e. in the rear of the house, behind the 
pulpit. Also granted liberty to Nathaniel Sessions, 


40 


and Ebenezer Grosvenor to build each of them a pew 
at the East end of the meeting-house. 

March 10th, 1760, it was voted that the persons en¬ 
titled to pew-spots should build each his pew by the 
1st of October next. 

Two years later (March 14th, 1722) the town voted 
that the second seat in the body of the meeting house, 
and I he fore seat in the front gallery shall be judged 
and esteemed equal in dignity; and that the third seat 
of the body, and the fore seat of the side gallery shall 
be equal; the fourth seat in the body, and the second 
seat in the front gallery shall be equal; and that the 
governing rule in seating the meeting house shall be, 
the first three rates which are made in the town on the 
last years’ list—having respect also to age and dignity. 

The congregation increased, more seats are needed; 
so, June 19th, 1725, granted £5 to defray the expense 
of repairing and finishing the seats of the meeting 
house. 

The growth continues, and April 20th, 1727, vo¬ 
ted that the vacancies at the backside of the men’s and 
women’s side galleries shall be filled out as soon as 
may be, in the manner first determined by the town. 

But many have a long way to come to meeting, the 
days are short, and it is cold; and December 4th, 1728, 
the town voted that from this time to the bejnnniim of 

O O 

February, there shall be but one public service on the 
Sabbath, and it shall begin at eleven o’clock. 

It should be remembered that at this date, (1728) 
all the inhabitants of the town of Pomfret, includino- 
Brooklyn and Abington, worshipped in this house. 

The next year (1729) the inhabitants at the south 
part of the town (now Brooklyn) petitioned for liberty 
to set up religious worship by themselves; which was 
granted. 

Ten years passed on. The congregation continued 


41 


to increase, and more room was needed. Accordingly, 
December 27th, 1739, it w^as voted by the Old or 
North Society of Pomfret, [for the business is no long¬ 
er done town-wise, since Brooklyn lias become a dis¬ 
tinct Society,] “ That there should be some addition to 
the meeting house inside,—a seat built before the 
fore seat around the galleries,—two seats at the back 
side of the front gallery; that each seat in the front 
gallery shall be lengthened on the men’s side, and 
shortened on the women’s side, so far as that two men 
more may be accommodated in each seat, [men more 
plenty than women, it was a new country, and women 
did not come—different from these days], iVlso voted 
that there shall be pews built over the men’s and wo¬ 
men’s stairs, going up the galleries, [these were called 
swing pews, &c.] Another arrangement to be noticed, 
is—voted that the lower half of the hindmost seat in 
the side galleries shall be fitted for, and devoted to the 
negroes; that the boys seats below, shall be fitted for 
men to sit in.” A rate of one penny on the pound 
was granted, and a committee appointed to carry the 
above votes into effect. 

These appear to be the last repairs and additions of 
any account that were made to this first meeting house 
in Pomfret, though it continued to be used as a place 
of worship some twenty years longer. 

In regard to the appearance of this house, it is sup¬ 
posed that it was not elegant. Many of the materials 
for building were at that time difficult to obtain. There 
could have been but few framed houses in the place 
when this meeting house was erected ; tradition says 
but one when Mr. Williams came, December, 1713, 
and that he boarded in that house, as the only one in 
which he could be accommodated. That house stood in 
the north-east part of the town, and belonged to the 
Sabin family. 


42 


Ten years more pass—the population of the town 
increases and spreads into the several borders. The 
distance to this place of worship becomes great for 
many of the people, and burdensome. There begins 
to be much inquiry and discussion in the Society, with 
reference to their better accommodation. Many meet¬ 
ings are held during the years 1748-9, to consider 
whether the Society would build a new house in the 
centre of the population, or whether they would build 
two houses, or whether the Society would divide and 
become two Societies. The result was, thht the in¬ 
habitants of the west part of the town, petitioned to 
be set off, as a separate Society, and their petition was 
confirmed by the Legislature in 1749. 

On the 28th of March, 1753, Mr. Williams died, 
greatly lamented. 

The next year, viz : 1754, several meetings were 
held, to see if the Society would build a new house 
of worship. They also agreed to apply to the County 
court to appoint a committee to fix the site for said 
house. This committee fixed a stake near the present 
common. 

In the winter of 1755-6, Mr. Putnam was settled. 

Some persons not being satisfied with the report of 
the committee of the county court, in 1755, the Soci¬ 
ety petitioned the Legislature to appoint a committee 
for the purpose. Their petition was granted. Said 
committee fixed the place on this common. 

The satisfaction was not complete, and propositions 
to call for another committee and also to divide the 
Society were made, but did not prevail. The Society, 
June 16th, 1760, voted to proceed and build the house 
and also to buy two acres of land on which to set the 
house. (They bought said land, which constitutes 
the present “ common,” of Lieut. Zechariah Waldo.) 
Ilea. Llolbrook, Dea. Williams, Esq. Williams, Lieut. 


43 

Durkee and Mr. Ebenezer Grosvenor were chosen 
building committee. It was voted that the house 
should be 60 feet long, 48 feet wide, and 24 or 25 
feet posts. Also voted to raise 6 pence on the pound, 
of the ratable estate, to defray the expenses. The 
house was raised Sept. 5th, 1760. Sept. 21st, 1760, 
it was voted that the meeting-house should be front¬ 
ed west. 

After the house was begun, and the frame raised, 
either from dissatisfaction on the part of some, or the 
want of funds, the work was suspended till December 
4th, 1761, when the Society voted to raise money and 
go forward with the finishing of the house, and raised 
a tax of 9 pence on the pound, on the list. At the 
same meeting the Society voted to build 44 pews, viz: 
26 by the walls, 12 behind the body seats, and 6 pews 
at the lowest end of the men and women’s seats, (or 
in other words, the body seats.) 

Also voted, that those 43 persons that are highest 
in the lists given for the years 1759-60-61, (except 
four-fold assessments) shall have the liberty of draw¬ 
ing 43 of the pews, they building each one his own 
pew, and finishing the wall of said house, adjoining 
to his pew, to the first girt; he that is highest in the 
list, to have the first choice, he that is next highest, 
the next choice, and so on, till they have done draw¬ 
ing ; reserving room for one pew for the ministry in 
said Society, where the Rev. Mr. Aaron Putnam shall 
choose it. 

March 10th, 1760, it was voted that the persons 
entitled to pew spots, should build each his pew by 
the 1st of October next. 

April 26th, 1762, “voted that the new meeting¬ 
house should be colored on the outside of an orange 
color—the doors and bottom boards of a chocolate 
color—the windows, jets, corner boards and weather 


44 


boards, colored white.” This must have been consid¬ 
ered the highest style of finish, at that time,—for in 
1767, five years later, the people of Thompson voted 
to color their new meeting-house 44 the same as Pom- 
fret.” 

The same year, viz : Oct. 7th, 1762, voted to sell 
the old meeting-house, as soon as the Society shall 
meet in the new house. Also, to sell the training 
field by the old meeting-house. Also granted liberty 
to such persons as were disposed, to build sheds for 
horses on the East line of the Common, around the 
new meeting-house, within four rods of Rev. Mr. Aaron 
Putnam’s house. [It seems to have been a char¬ 
acteristic of the ages to put these structures as near 
the minister’s house as possible.] At another meet¬ 
ing voted the same liberty to build sheds on the 
North side of the Common. 

The last public service in the First meeting-house 
was held on the 16th day of January, 1763. The 
first public service in the second or new meeting-house 
was held on Thursday, January 20th, 1763, when “Rev. 
Mr. Putnam preached a lecture sermon.” 

The next spring, viz : April 13th, 1763, it was vot¬ 
ed to build ten pews in the side galleries next the 
walls, and that the proprietors build them, and draw 
for their choice of pew-spots, the same as was done 
on the lower floor. But it was then, as now, many 
persons neglected to provide for themselves and their 
families, a place in the house of God. Nine years 
passed and many of the persons had not built their 
pews in the gallery: wherefore, June 17th, 1772, the 
Society voted that if any should neglect or refuse to 
build their respective pews by the 1st day of October 
next, they should lose their privilege, and the Society 
Committee should proceed to build them. 

Dec. 27th, 1773, it was voted to new color the meet- 


45 

mg house. Also to remove the division between the 
men and women’s front gallery, adding to the men’s 
said front about one eighth of the women’s said front, 
until the division comes to, or over a pillar whose foot 
stands in the pew of Mr. Joshua Sabin. The next 
December 27tli, 1774, the Society directed the standing 
Committee to make some farther alteration in the side 
galleries. 

The next year, Jan. 24th, 1776, the Society voted 
to have weights affixed to the West door of the meet¬ 
ing-house, for the purpose of shutting it. 

It should be understood that in the original struct¬ 
ure of the house inside, there was a row of pews, as 
in the first house, around on the walls—that the body 
of the house on each side of the broad (or middle) 
aisle, was filled with seats (very much like these pews) 
facing the pulpit. But the square pew was thought 
to be riiore honorable, or in better taste; and families, 
as their ability allowed, aspired to a pew, as in Eng¬ 
land men aspire to the peerage ; for to sit in a pew 
was to be a peer of the parish. Accordingly the de¬ 
mand for pews arose to such a height, that on the 29th 
day of Oct., 1790, the Society voted to sell four back 
seats on each side of the broad aisle, and also a part 
of the side aisles; and to move each of the front seats 
five inches forward, to make room for eight pews in 
the rear, of equal size and bigness; that these seats 
should be sold at public vendue, and that the purchas¬ 
ers be obliged to build their pews in a given time, to 
be fixed by the committee. 

And now the trouble with Mr. Dodge comes on, 
which measures its slow length by the siege of Troy. 
We hear no more of repairs or changes in the meet¬ 
ing-house, until after the re-union and peace of the So¬ 
ciety, which by the mercy of God was brought about 
in a most amicable and Christian manner in 1798-9. 


46 

In the year 1800, the meeting house began to need 
repairs, and the Society voted that the committee make 
such necessary repairs as would preserve it from suf¬ 
fering at present. [See how a people weakened and 
wasted by contention, begins to grow again as soon as 
the war is over.] In December, 1800, voted to shin¬ 
gle the meeting house anew, and repair the sides of 
the same. 

In 1802, Mr. King became pastor—great harmony 
prevailed—further changes and repairs were sought, 
also the pew mania continues. 

February 16th, 1804, voted to take up the four 
back seats, for the purpose of building pews ; also that 
the aisles at the north and south ends of said seats be 
taken for the same purpose; that the Society build 
the pews, in conformity to those adjoining, and rent 
them annually. But the house was high and vast; 
Mr. King complained that it injured him to speak in 
it. The Society proposed to remedy this by putting 
in an additional sounding board, which they did in 
1806, suspending it under the original canopy. 

December 22nd, 1807, the Society voted to repair 
the gable ends of the meeting house, shingle the west 
side of the roof, and make other necessary repairs, and 
to raise $120 for the purpose. 

And now the Society being prosperous, they aspire 
to something more lofty. 

In December, 1808, voted to appoint a committee 
to estimate the expense of building a tower, or steeple, 
and making a porch or porches, painting the house, 
and grading the ground around it, so as to make it 
more easy of access. Freeman James, Lieut. Grosve- 
nor, Samuel White, Peregrine Gilbert and Silas W. 
Clark, were this committee. 

The preliminaries of estimate and plans, being gone 
through, the Society are ready to proceed ; and May 


47 

2nd, 1809, appointed a building and repairing com¬ 
mittee of seven persons, to proceed and finish the 
work by the 1st of December, 1810. This committee 
were Benjamin Duick, Doct. Hubbard, Peter Chand¬ 
ler, Peregrine Gilbert, Ebenezer Fitch, Sylvanus 
Backus and Payson Grosvenor. 

When the repairs and additions were finished, a 
bell was placed in the tower, by the generosity of 
Benjamin Duick, Esq., who being clerk of the Society 
at the time, was too modest to make any record of 
the deed. This bell being fractured in 1819, Darius 
Mathewson, Esq. was appointed agent to get it recast 
and bung anew in the tower. This was the bell which 
a few years since (1856) was taken down from the 
tower of this house, and replaced by the one which 
we now hear. 

The expenses of these additions and repairs—about 
$2500—were said to be greater than those of the orig¬ 
inal building; and by some infelicities of arrangement, 
became burdensome to the parish. A melancholy 
casualty also occurred when raising the tower, by 
which one man lost his life, and which created a panic 
among the men, that for a time threatened to prevent 
its erection altogether. 

We hear no more of repairs or changes in this sec¬ 
ond meeting house, until, in 1826-7, discussion and 
inquiries began to arise, which terminated in 1832, in 
taking it down, and building the house which we now 
occupy. The builder of this house was Thomas Sted- 
man, of Hampton. Those who saw and remember it 
well, say it was a noble structure. It was high and 
spacious, and abundantly lighted ; it had galleries on 
three sides, and could seat a thousand or twelve hun¬ 
dred people ; and these seats, it is said, until the latter 
part of Mr. Putnam’s ministry, were fully occupied 
from Sabbath to Sabbath. The pulpit was high, with 


48 

a window behind it, and a canopy or sounding board 
over the head of the speaker; it was ascended by 
stairs upon one side only. The pulpit, the canopy, 
the breast work around the galleries, also the posts of 
the house, were painted blue. The house looked to 
the west. Its lofty tower arose at the south end, a 
porch stood at the north end. Its appearance was 
impressive—grand. Many who approached it or saw 
it from afar, felt a measure of the awe which is in¬ 
spired by the thought of the High and Lofty One, who 
inhabited, and so often showed His glory in it. 

You see here a picture of this ancient sanctuary, 
drawn by Dea. Mathewson, from memory, after the 
lapse of 33 years. 

As the Palaeontologists, Cuvier and Owen, by their 
knowledge of Comparative Anatomy, were able from 
a thigh bone, or a molar tooth, or an incisor, to repro¬ 
duce the I)odo, the Mylodon, the Dinotherium, and 
other extinct animals of the Pre-Adamite world, so 
Dea. Mathewson, from his distinct recollections of 
certain parts of the ancient structure, has been able to 
figure the whole for our admiration to-day. 

The house in which we are assembled was built in 
the summer and autumn of 1832. It was constructed 
largely of the materials contained in the old house. 

Col. Zephaniah Williams, Harvey Holmes and 
George B. Mathewson w 7 ere the building committee, 
and Lemuel Holmes of Pomfret was the builder. 

As the history of its origin and the repairs and 
changes which have been made upon it are familiar 
to most who are present, nothing need be said thereon. 


49 


SABBADAY HOUSES. 

I have been desired to say something about these ; 
many may wish to know what they were. 

They were small rooms built near the meeting house 
by single families, and sometime two or three families 
jointly, who resided at a distance, for their comfort on 
the Sabbath in cold weather. They were made * tight 
and warm ; had a fire place in one corner, benches 
and sometimes chairs for seats. Here the parents and 
their children came sufficiently early on the wintry 
Sabbaths, to build a fire and warm themselves, before 
the time of service. At intermission they repaired to 
this house, and warmed again, and took their lunch, 
preparatory to the afternoon worship ; this being over, 
in severe weather, they returned to this house, warmed 
again, and prepared for their journey home. These 
were called Sabbaday houses. There was at least one 
such near the first meeting house in this place—as we 
remember—Nathaniel Gary (who lived in the east part 
of the town) had liberty granted to build a house in 
the highway, “for himself and family to sit in Sabba¬ 
day s. 

I also remember to have seen in connection with 
one of the ancient country churches, in this state, two 
such houses. It was after stoves had been introduced 
into the meeting house, and they were in a dilapidated 
condition; but enough of them remained to show 
what they had been. They were set at the ends of the 
rows of sheds, which stood near the place of worship. 

These Sabbaday houses are said to have been 
frequent in country towns, all over New England in 
early times, and did not entirely cease until the warm¬ 
ing of the house of worship became universal. 


50 


STEPS OF PROGRESS. 

1715 TO 1865. 


BY REV. D. HUNT. 


“ To the upright, there ariseth light in darkness.” 
“The meek will He guide in judgment, the meek will 
He teach His way.” 

A review of the history of this particular church 
shows the presence of God in her midst, and the di¬ 
vine processes by which the Kingdom of Christ has 
advanced from one degree of order and of grace to 
another. 

The commencement of this church one hundred and 
fifty years ago to-day, was eminently peaceful and or¬ 
derly. The people of the parish were intelligent and 
orderly people. They endeavored to shape things ac¬ 
cording to the most improved methods of the time. 
Some of their plans were intrinsically good, and need¬ 
ed only to be carefully followed to produce the best 
results from generation to generation ; others involved 
the leaven of ignorance and misjudgment, the mis¬ 
takes and errors of the times and needed to be changed 
for such as were more scriptural and safe. And be¬ 
cause God was in their midst, and was their God, He 
showed His goodness by enlightenning their darkness 
from time to time, changing their apprehension of 
things that might be improved, and leading them to 
make alterations which from their benign working, 
proved that they were from God. 

I. One mistake which this church made in her early 
history, in common with the churches of New England 





51 

generally, was in the qualifications for communion. 
While they held that the church should be composed 
of such as make a credible profession of faith and ho¬ 
liness, they also allowed all persons of good moral 
character to join the the church and have fellowship 
in Christian ordinances. This plan of communion was 
called the “Stoddard plan,” because it was adopted 
and advocated by Rev. Solomon Stoddard, of North¬ 
ampton, Massachusetts. It was held and taught by 
him, and after him generally in New England, until 
the days of Jonathan Edwards, “that a credible pro¬ 
fession of Godliness is not necessary to full communion 
in the church. Persons need not profess a saving 
faith if they are orderly in life and morally sincere.” 
Said the Windham Association, in a printed letter to 
the church : “It is the will of Christ that all who make 
an outward credible profession of Christianity should 
be admitted into the church, though unconverted, that 
they may be under the proper ordinances for their 
conversion.” This opened the door of the church to 
all who were disposed to enter, provided they were 
decent in thier morals. Accordingly, most men and wo¬ 
men after they had arrived to the family state and were 
free from scandal in their lives, joined the church, and 
had their children baptized. 

The churches also adopted the practice of admitting 
persons who desired it, to “own a covenant” and be¬ 
come halfway members, that their children might be 
baptized, without professing any gracious sincerity, or 
coming to the communion. This practice continued 
in this church through the first two pastorates, and 
died out only, with that change in the sentiment of 
the churches which was produced by the discussions 
which arose in connection with the dismission of 
Jonathan Edwards from the church in Northampton. 

The result was that while there was the leaven of 


52 

true piety in the church, there was a great deal of 
dead orlhodoxy arid formalism “of wood, hay, stubble,” 
which had to be burned out by a long season of trials 
and fiery jug ments from the great Head of the church. 

Through all these years there could be no discipline 
in the church, except for such sins as were generally 
condemned. Dishonesty, fraud, licentiousness and Sab¬ 
bath breaking could be rebuked, because the prevail¬ 
ing sentiment was against them, and the records of 
the church show prompt and decided action upon such 
cases. But intemperance was not proceeded against, 
could not be, because it was common, and the public 
sentiment was in favor of the daily use of intoxicating 
drinks. Sometimes they would have in this parish 
four or five taverns (where we now have none) and as 
many stores where liquor was sold and drunk, and of¬ 
ficers of the church would drink and be drunken. 
Yet the records do not show that any notice was ever 
taken of it by the church. It w r as not until the evil 
culminated in an attempt to settle an intemperate man 
for a pastor that the tide began to turn in favor of 
temperance and sobriety of life. The unconverted 
men in the church used to keep up the forms of relig¬ 
ion. Some of them were Pharisaically exact. But 
tradition says they often attempted to pray in their 
families in a state of intoxication. 

With the passing away of the second pastorate and 
the coming of the revivals at the opening of the pres¬ 
ent century, the practice of unrestricted membership, 
and the “half way covenant” passed away, we trust, 
forever. Upon the settlement of Mr. King, the Lord 
revived His work with power. There was a great 
turning to God here, in heart and life. Since which 
time, none have asked to be received to the commun¬ 
ion of the church, who did not profess to think they 
had been born again. 


53 

II. The first two pastors of this church were God¬ 
ly men. Their piety would not suffer by compari¬ 
son with any in the ministry, in their day, yet they 
sinned the sin of the ages—the sin which caused the 
“irrepressible conflict” in our land, and brought upon 
us the woes of the late rebellion. Both of them were 
owners of slaves, and had slaves born in their houses. 
So did many members of this church. Probably the 
number of slaveholders in this parish was as great at 
one time, in proportion to the population, as it has 
ever been in the Southern States. It was thought to 
be right and according to the Word of God, to hold 
slaves, and they bequeathed them like their cattle, to 
their children. But this evil found an end. 

III. Another step of progress was the introduction 
of Prayer and Conference meetings , and School-house 
preaching. We cannot say how much visiting from 
house to house, and catechetical instruction there was 
during the first two pastorates; but preaching and 
public assemblies were limited to two services on the 
Sabbath, (in cold weather frequently to one,) the “pre¬ 
paratory lecture,” and an occasional lecture in the 
house of some aged person or invalid. None but the 
pastor took part in acts of social worship. Laymen 
never prayed or spoke on religious themes in public. 
No place or time was given them. It was looked upon 
by the age as disorderly. Any brother inclined to such 
service, was regarded as a “ new-light,” and a “separ¬ 
atist.” 

But at the opening of the third pastorate under Mr. 
King, prayer and. conference meetings were intro¬ 
duced. Many of the the elderly people trembled for 
the result. They feared it would bring in confusion 
which never could be reduced to order. Though some 
of the more considerate said : “Mr. King is a sensi¬ 
ble and orderly man, let him try it, we are not fearful.” 


54 

Thus CBme into this church the institution of the 
prayer meeting and the religious conference, the ben¬ 
efits of which, under proper guidance, have been great 
in promoting religious conviction and growth in grace. 
Who can tell how many souls have been saved, by 
hearing others speak of God’s work in their hearts. 

IV. The institution of the Sabbath School may be 
mentioned as one of the steps of progress in the his¬ 
tory of this church. There is something very beauti¬ 
ful in the picture of a Christian family of olden time, 
its sobriety and order, its Sabbath keeping, its family 
reading of the scriptures, and prayer, its catechetical 
instruction, its respect for the Christian ministry and 
the house of God, where both the young and the old 
prepared for their home in the heavens and where 
glimpses of the heavenly glory were first obtained. 
[May those bright examples of family religion, and of 
heaven in the household, never be diminished because 
Christian parents rely too much on other agencies to 
do their work.] But all families are not Christian,and 
all children are not thus trained. To remedy this 
condition of neglect and heathenism, the Sabbath 
school was devised. Great has been the success which 
God has vouchsafed to give it. It has gathered the 
wandering and outcast children. It has carried the 
light of the gospel into many of the abodes of dark¬ 
ness and sin. The system of Sabbath schools has de¬ 
veloped itself into a grand scheme of evangelization, 
which both the church and the world recognize as 
having the approbation of God. 

The history of this Sabbath school, both in its ori¬ 
gin and its progress, presents facts of the deepest in¬ 
terest to the cause of Christ and of immortal souls. 
Time will not allow us now, even to count the shining 
characters which have gone from it to various parts of 
he world, and to the better land. 


55 

V. In connection with the Sabbath school, may. be 
mentioned, a partial acceptance of the theory , that a 
proper application of the Gospel will result in the con¬ 
version of little children. Formerly it seemed to be 
held that children did not know enough to become 
Christians, that the converting power of the gospel 
could hardly be expected to reach them. They must 
grow to a measure of maturity before the church 
could hope enough to pray for them except as an 
event in the future. The word of Christ was ignored: 
“Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is 
the Kingdom of God.” “Whosoever shall not receive 
the Kingdom of God as a little child, shall in no wise 
enter therein.” But the revivals of the last half cen¬ 
tury, and the influence of Sabbath schools have 
changed this feeling, somewhat. There has been a 
progress in the right way, though it has not reached 
the end by a large space. I do not find that any chil¬ 
dren ever became members of the church until the 
ministry of Mr. Porter. One young woman was received 
into the church at the age of 16 years, by Mr. Putnam. 
Two young men, less than 20 years, joined the church 
under Mr. King; but in Mr. Porter’s ministry some 
who were but 11 years of age were admitted, and be¬ 
came shining lights in the church, since which time it 
has been felt, in some degree, that the conversion of 
children is practicable and should be prayed for; also, 
that the admission of very young persons into the 
church is safe, when they give evidence of piety. 
Why not? Was not Samuel a prophet of the Lord 
when a child ? and David a composer of Psalms for 
Zion when a mere lad ? Did not the beloved Timothy 
receive the truth in his childhood ? and may not any 
child under the gospel do the same ? Must he wait 
till his heart is hard, and his mind is blind, and his 


56 

habits of sin confirmed, before he is a proper subject! 
of grace, or God can be glorified in his conversion? 

VI. Another step in advance of the past, was 
warming the house of God in the time of service in cold'- 
weather. The first churches were built in a sub-trop¬ 
ical climate. No fire was needed; consequently no* 
provision was made for any. But as the gospel pre¬ 
vailed and extended its influence into the North-tem¬ 
perate and the Frigid zones, and fire became a neces¬ 
sity to comfort and to health, in the place of worship, 
the regard to precedent was so inexorable that no allow¬ 
ance was made for change of climate and consequently 
no provision for warming the house of God. Our fath¬ 
ers came to this country under the control of that prece¬ 
dent, though they came to be free. They made no pro^- 
vision for warming their meeting-houses. Did not feel 
at liberty to do it against the practice of Christendom. 
They placed them in bleak, open fields, generally on 
high ground; exposed to all the winds that blow, with 
no building near, not even a tree or a shrub, behind 
which an Indian could hide. Nothing but the whip¬ 
ping-post and the pillory could be seen, which 
generally stood in the rear of the building, behind the 
pulpit. 

To these cold places, the people came through the 
long cold winters on horse-back (such as could not 
walk) and aching with cold, performed their morning 
service. Then such as did not go to their homes dur¬ 
ing the intermission, went into the neighboring houses, 
where a large open fire was expected to be prepared 
for them. Here they talked sometimes devoutly, of the 
sermon and heavenly things; but often, quite too 
much, of politics and marketing, and did the gossip of 
the parish ; drinking more or less cider. This was 
the Sunday School of those times, answering much 
to the “horse-shed class” of the present day. 



57 

The intermission being closed, they repaired to the 
sanctuary for the afternoon service. After waiting 
painfully, hands and feet growing numb with cold, for 
the finally and lastly of the sermon and the benedic¬ 
tion, they hastened to their homes. 

At length, say about 1820 to 1825, in this part of 
the country, deliverance from this bondage of the ages 
came. And many a benumbed and half-frozen wor¬ 
shipper could say, blessed be the men who first had 
the courage and the skill to put a stove into the meet¬ 
ing-house. For be it known, this favor was not 
obtained without opposition. Though a God-send to 
the children and youth ; for now they could go to 
meeting with pleasure in the winter and could have a 
Sabbath School all the year round, which before, was 
limited to the summer months—many in advanced 
life did not wish for a change. They said, is it not a 
primitive custom to worship God in his house with¬ 
out a fire ? Have not all the centuries done it ? More¬ 
over, it is an indulgence altogether unfavorable to 
earnest devotion, and that self-denial which every 
Christian should cultivate—a decline from primitive 
example, which indicates approaching apostacy. 
Many insisted that ministers should preach with freez¬ 
ing fingers, and that parents of new-born children 
should bring them for baptism to these cold houses in 
the dead of winter, as appropriate tests of their faith 
and consecration. Who will now say, that in this res¬ 
pect the former days were better than these? We 
can worship God in an Arctic frost if we must. May 
we not worship Him in a softened air if we can ? 

VII. Holding the communion in the place of the af¬ 
ternoon service. When the writer was a child, and as 
far as he is informed, through the entire history of 
these churches, it was the custom to have the commun¬ 
ion during the intermission. The morning congre« 


58 

gation was dismissed. The church gathered solitarily 
in the pews around the table, and received for the 
most part, unobserved by any from without, the memo¬ 
rials of a Saviour’s love. There was beauty in the 
scene—a church alone with their Lord, as when the 
disciples were with Him at the first, in that upper 
room. But it would seem that this ordinance was de¬ 
signed to teach and impress the world, as well as to 
comfort and strengthen the church. “As oft as ye eat 
this bread and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s 
death till he comes.” If more than other, the com¬ 
munion service impresses and melts the believer; will 
it not’also affect the sinner. It is silent preaching, 
but it is powerful. From the sacred memorials a voice 
proceeds, “Look unto me and be saved.” “See how 
I have loved you.” 

This view of the subject at length obtained, and the 
communion was put in the place of the afternoon wor¬ 
ship. Readily, the congregation fell in with the plan, 
accepting it as an excellent way. At the first it was 
feared that many who were not communicants would 
leave the assembly. It was said to the pastor, you 
must preach in connection with the communion ser¬ 
vice, as on other days, or the people will not be there. 
The result has proved all these fears to be groundless. 
Our congregation is as large at the time of the com¬ 
munion service, as on other days, and usually, as we 
might expect, is more subdued and tender in its ap¬ 
pearance. 

Is not this a plain advance in the right way upon 
the practice of the fathers ? Said an aged minister 
who spent a communion Sabbath with us a few years 
since, (who had been accustomed to the old way, only) 
“I never saw the like, How beautiful. I shall go 
home and tell our pastor what I have seen.” 


59 

VIII. Another step, was making the support of 
the gospel entirely voluntary. 

Our fathers sought entire religious freedom. They 
left the Fatherland, that they might worship God ac¬ 
cording to their own mind. Their end was good. 
They were honest in seeking it. But how to find 
what they wanted did not at first so readily appear. 
But the great Head of the church led them gradually 
to the light. 

At the beginning of our history, the people were all 
of one faith and one order. As religion was the basis 
of all their institutions, all the people were expected 
to sustain the gospel ministry. So close was the union 
of church and state that the magistrates were required 
to belong to the church. 

This rule soon proved to be too severe. In 1708 its 
rigor was abated in Connecticut, when all sober dis- 
sentions were so far released from the established sys¬ 
tem, as not to be punished for not attending its wor¬ 
ship, though not from taxation for its support. 

In 1727 to 1729, farther relaxation was granted to 
Episcopalians, Baptists and Quakers. But Congre- 
gationalists had no exemption. If they called them¬ 
selves Congregationalists or Presbyterians and did not 
join some dissenting church, they were compelled to 
pay taxes to support the standing order. 

This continued till 1784. During which period all 
those experiences of bigotry, and bad legislation were 
had, which atttended and followed the great revival of 
1740—such as the foundation of “separate” churches, 
banishing and imprisoning ministers who came into 
the colony to preach, or went out of their own parish 
to preach—fining such persons as went to hear any 
but their own pastor. 

But the spirit of the Revolution wrought in the 
church as well as in the state. Accordingly in 1784, 


60 

all the people were made free to worship with what¬ 
ever church they pleased; but must still be taxed for 
the support of the church of their choice. 

In 1818, on the adoption of our State constitution, 
all restriction was removed in Connecticut. All 
churches and systems of religion were put upon their 
own merits—left entirely to the voluntary support of 
their friends. Many of the standing order, at that 
time feared greatly. They prayed and strove against 
the measure. Dr. Lyman Beecher, then in his strength, 
preached and printed a sermon to show that to leave 
religion entirely to voluntary support would be to open 
the flood-gates of ruin on the State. But no ruin came. 
On the contrary, there was a greater interest in relig¬ 
ion among its friends, and greater activity to extend its 
influence through the community. This state of 
things has continued, and no class of Christians can 
now be found, who desire to return to the old ways. 
Thus the end which our fathers longed for and suffered, 
but could not fully obtain, has been reached—entire 
religious as well as civil freedom. 

The great problem on which their minds labored, 
the problem of the centuries, has been wrought out. 
Now we know what to do with men of every religion 
and of no religion at all. We have a place for the 
Pope under the laws of Connecticut. And should the 
Vatican and Lambeth both, be transferred to Pomfret, 
and this church should remain true to her principles, 
they would do us no harm. 

It was designed, if there were time, to say something 
of the inprovement which a century and a half has pro¬ 
duced in church building, and in the manners of seat¬ 
ing the house of God. Something of the rise and prog¬ 
ress of the Temperance Reformation in this place and 
the manner in which this church has been affected by 
the doctrine of total abstinence in its order and dis- 


61 

ciplinc. Also of the rise and progress of Benevolent 
enterprises, and of those streams of charity which have 
gone forth to refresh the dry places in our own land, 
and in the world. 

But this thought arises. Perhaps some curious 
spectator of these scenes may wish to ask, “ Why do 
you recount with so much interest these steps of prog¬ 
ress 1 or why do you commemorate the birth-day of a 
history which reads you from those large meeting¬ 
houses in which your fathers worshiped, into a house 
like this where we are assembled, and from those large 
congregations of one thousand or twelve hundred 
persons every Sabbath to the one hundred and fifty, or 
two hundred who worship here at the present time ; 
while the population of the parish is not diminished, 
and the wealth and social prosperity are greatly in¬ 
creased. Do call you this progress! a growth? a success? 
We do. Just as we call it a progress in the life of Je¬ 
sus from the time that “ His fame went through all Sy¬ 
ria,” or from the hour He rode into Jerusalem amid 
the plaudits of the multitude, through His subsequent 
abasement until he expired on the cross, deserted even 
by His own disciples. There is no Christian but calls 
that a progress in the history of his Lord—a triumph. 
In those days—in that transition from light to dark¬ 
ness, He achieved the world’s redemption and swal¬ 
lowed up death in victory. 

The beginning of this church was in great peace and 
in increasing numbers, for a long time. But the last 
seventy years have been passed amid struggle and 
waste—many of them in the 66 straitness of siege 
wherewith our enemies have distressed us in all our 
gates.” We have been hewn by sects, wasted by the 
emigration of our sons and daughters whose places 
have been filled with aliens—a broad section of our 
people have been absorbed into the growth and enter- 


62 

prise of the Valley. Many of the old homesteads of 
the pious fathers have become the possessions of per¬ 
sons who wish ns no good—while from causes which 
reflecting men well understand, a portion of the once 
Puritan population has relapsed into a state of opposi¬ 
tion to the Truth and to moral culture, which as it is 
voluntary and determined, resists all approaches of 
Christian influence on society. 

Yet in all these changes God has not forgotten His 
church or left His Truth without a witness to its pow¬ 
er. The practical fruits of the ministry in the last 
third of our history have been the greatest. More 
persons have professed conversion and the purpose of 
a holy life in the last fifty than in the first hundred 
years. Though the church has not grown in numbers, 
more have been added from time to time than in all 
her previous history. 

We claim then, the right, the privilege to commem¬ 
orate, not a bare continuance in life only,but a certain, 
a substantial growth. 

Friends and brethren of this ancient church—sons 
and daughters of Pomfret, the evidence is complete: 
This is God’s church. He planted it, and through light 
and shade has fed it from the hidden spring of life. 
Often have His people deserted Him, but He has not 
forsaken them. Here His long suffering has been 
shown—His gracious hand has wrought. Through all 
these years his redeemed and sanctified ones, have 
been going from this earthly service to swell the strains 
of the everlasting song. 

May the evidence of progress which we recount 
and celebrate to-day, continue to advance, and like the 
waters which Ezekiel saw flowing from under the Tem¬ 
ple, widen and deepen, bearing verdure, beauty and 
life—Eternal life, into all the world. 


63 


KEY. MR. DUNNING’S ADDRESS. 


A beautiful story is told of the shepherds of the 
Alps. 

In their perilous adventures among the mountains, 
they always take with them the Alpine horn. The 
solitary shepherd, having escaped the perils of the 
day, and feeling that God’s arm alone could have kept 
him from harm, stands at the opening of his tempora¬ 
ry hut, or resting-place for the night, high up the 
rugged cliff. Just as the last rays of the setting sun 
are gilding the mountain-tops, he sounds his Alpine 
horn, shouting loud and clear in the elastic air,“Praised 
be the Lord!” The sublime strain is immediately 
caught up by another on some neighboring peak, then 
by others adown the slopes, and by others still far be¬ 
neath in the valleys, “Praised be the Lord !” “Praised 
be the Lord!” The very rocks catch the inspiration 
and find echoing voices. The echoes and re-echoes 
from cliff and cavern “ roll the rapturous Hosanna 
round,” till hill and vale become vocal with the re¬ 
sounding praise. The holy anthem is prolonged and 
shouted far ; then sinks and dies, as the darkness of 
night settles down upon the hills. 

It is a sublimity to the ear as grand as is the Alpine 
scenery to the eye. 

But all these sublimities of sight and sound are far 
surpassed by the moral grandeur of these mountains 
of God where these under-shepherds lead the flocks of 
Christ. 

And as we stand here to-day on the summits of a 
hundred and fifty years, in the name of this beloved 
flock which by God’s grace has escaped the perils of 



64 

the mountains and the perils of the world, we would 
utter the memory of His great goodness, and raise the 
grateful shout— 44 Praised be the Lord!” to the Chief 
Shepherd, who hath kept it in safety, and hath fed it 
with the finest of the wheat. 

Nor this alone. From the nearest church on the 
North comes, on the sharp autumnal air, the shout, 
44 Praised be the Lord who hath kept us by his power 
through the dangers of a hundred and seventy-five 
years !” She is the mother of us all. Across the val¬ 
ley on the nearest hill-top towards the sun-rising, this 
same song of praise for a hundred and fifty years of 
God’s preserving love was sung by the flock there this 
day last week. Within the County there are seven of 
these venerable sister churches of a hundred and fifty 
years and more ; and nine others which can look back 
over more than a century. Since the planting of the 
First, in South Woodstock, in 1690, till now, there has 
been organized in the County, on an average, one new 
church in every six and a quarter years. 

These churches, having earnestly contended for the 
faith which was once delivered unto the saints, and 
holding the Head, and growing up into Him who is 
the Head, even Christ,—these Christian churches are 
the golden candlesticks, the burning lamps of God, 
which have shined as lights in these regions, and 
which have sent their moral radiance into regions be¬ 
yond. Many dark places, many dark hearts have been 
thus illumined. 

Pays of light cannot be grasped inhuman hands 
and measured. Pays of moral light, bright and bless¬ 
ed as they are, cannot be even seen by mortal eyes, 
except indirectly, in their effects. Moral influences 
cannot be weighed in human scales, or appraised in 
earthly currency. But when the Lord shall count, 
when He writeth up the people, when it shall be seen, 


65 

as then it will, that this man and that man, this saint 
and that saint in glory, were born here ; when it shall 
be seen that the Hoods of ungodly men in these com¬ 
munities, the workings and the outworkings of de¬ 
praved hearts, were resisted and held in check, and 
beaten back by these churches, in many a gracious 
instance, to the casting down of imaginations, and ev¬ 
ery high thing that exalteth itself against the knowl¬ 
edge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought 
to the obedience of Christ; when it shall be seen that 
by the agency of these churches the moral tone of 
family and society was kept so high and so healthful ; 
when it shall be seen that these churches were co¬ 
workers with others of like precious faith in gather¬ 
ing the harvests of the world into the garners of Christ 
—then, I doubt not, these golden candlesticks will be 
placed in the eternal Temple, to burn forever before 
the glorious Throne. These churches of God which 
He hath purchased with His own blood, and which 
have held fast the faith and patience of the saints, hav¬ 
ing obtained a good report through faith, shall be in 
everlasting remembrance. It is impossible to over¬ 
estimate the moral power of the church of Christ. 
Her mission in a world of sin, and want, and hope, 
is the noblest and the best. She is the salt of the 
earth, the real conservative agency amid the corrupt¬ 
ing ambitions of man, and the destructive tendencies 
of sin. She is the light of the world, where all else 
is moral darkness, settling down into rayless and end¬ 
less night. The communion of saints in the Christian 
church is the true brotherhood of man. The unity 
of the Spirit abiding in the church is the bond of 
peace which one day is to bind the now hostile nations 
into one great family of love. And— 

“Thus shall all shackles fall; the stormy clangor 

Of wild war-music o’er the earth shall cease; 

Love shall tread out the baleful fires of anger, 

And in its ashes plant the trees of peace.” 


66 

The church of Christ is to be the joy of the whole 
earth, and the wonder of all Heaven. To the intent 
that now unto the principalities and powers in heav¬ 
enly places, might be known by the church the mani¬ 
fold wisdom of God. 

Nor need we be discouraged because the Lord does 
not at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel. The 
time is not yet; but the time shall come when the 
Kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the King¬ 
dom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the 
people of the saints of the Most High. More rapidly 
than ever before, perhaps, the church is moving on 
and rising up to her true station of usefulness and 
glory. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City 
of God! We are drawing near, it is believed, to those 
promised times of spiritual power, when nations are 
to be born in a day, and when the Lord is to add to 
the church daily, such as shall be saved. The High¬ 
est Himself, shall establish her. When the Lord 
shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory. 
And it is alike ungenerous and unreasonable for skep¬ 
ticism to complain of the tardiness of the church, and 
that the day of her triumph yet lingers ; for six thous¬ 
and years, science, and philosophy, and politics, and 
the arts, and language, and agriculture, and the daily 
and necessary economies of life have been agitated 
and wrought upon by countless gifted intellects;—and 
which of them all has been made perfect ? There are 
strong bars of iron yet in the ore bed ; there are forms 
of beauty yet in the unquarried marble ; uncounted 
gold is yet locked up in the thick-ribbed hills. 

“ Full many a gem of purest ray serene, 

The dark, unfathomed caves of ocean bear.” 

Full many a star pours its radiance along the yet un¬ 
searched immensities of Heaven. There are treasures 
of wisdom and knowledge, which the human intellect 


67 

has not yet explored. And in the resources of an in¬ 
finite God there are blessings, richer than any yet re¬ 
ceived since the great Ascension gift, which are to be 
poured upon the church, and which the church as the 
almoner of Heaven is to pour upon the world. 

The church of Christ is the hope of a sin-ruined 
world. And here to-day, for ourselves and for our 
race, let us thank God with all our hearts for the 
church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the 
truth. Encouraged by God’s care and guidance in 
the past, let us have hope for the future. Let us 
have perfect confidence that the church shall yet gain 
the peaceful triumph of the world, because the Prince 
of Peace is her victorious Leader, and is to be to the 
end. And let the song of every heart be—let it rise 
and swell in warmer and more gushing melodies than 
ever before,— 

“ I love Thy kingdom, Lord, 

The house of Thine abode, 

The church our blest Redeemer saved 
With His own precious blood. 

‘‘Hove Thy church, O God; 

Her walls before Thee stand, 

Dear as the apple of Thine eye, 

And graven on Thy hand. 

“Sure as Thy truth shall last, 

To Zion shall be given, 

The brightest glories earth can yield, 

And brighter bliss of Heaven.” 


68 


REV. MR. GROSVENOR’S ADDRESS, 


PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS. 


In my childhood Pomfret was the centre of business 
for the surrounding region, and, next to Windham, the 
most important town in the County. It was the thor¬ 
oughfare of travel, between New York and Boston; 
and was enlivened by the daily line of stages from 
Hartford to Boston and Providence, and from Nor¬ 
wich to Worcester. Putnam and Danielsonville were 
then out-of-the-way places. Here was the first Post- 
office established between Boston and Hartford. Gen. 
Lemuel Grosvenor was the Postmaster, and retained 
his office more than forty years. He resigned a short 
time before his death, which occurred Jan. 7th, 1834. 

Fifty years ago, the tavern, well patronized by trav¬ 
ellers, and altogether too much by citizens—three stores 
with many customers—a lawyer’s office with law stu¬ 
dents and much business—together with what might be 
termed the 44 Medical school” at Doctor Hubbard’s of¬ 
fice—gave the place an animated, business aspect that 
has long since disappeared. 

The observance of the Sabbath was then enforced 
by law. It was the duty of deacons as well as of 
grand jurors to arrest Sabbath travellers. This was 
often done, and the offenders were tried on the follow¬ 
ing day and fined. One man was fined for securing 
his hay on the Sabbath. 

The people attended meeting more generally then, 
than now*. The line of chaises (no wagons then) and 
the throng of people on horseback and on foot, filling 
the street at the close of worship on the Sabbath, pre- 




69 

sented to my young eyes the most animating scene 
of the week. 

The second pastor of the church I remember, and 
the feelings of veneration and sympathy excited in 
me, on going to his house, or seeing him in the public 
assembly. He belonged to a former generation, and 
seemed like an associate of the apostles. The fact 
that he had lost his voice, and could only speak in a 
whisper, helped to increase my veneration. The long 
mournful procession at his funeral, with ministers as 
pall-bearers, left an abiding impression on my memory. 

The Rev. Asa King, I remember as an able and suc¬ 
cessful minister rather than as the (third) Pastor of 
this church. A single incident may illustrate his 
fidelity and tact as a Christian teacher. He came here 
on a visit. In taking leave of a certain family, he said 
to the wife and mother, a most exemplary woman, 

but not a member of the church— u Mrs. H-1 have 

been looking over the records of the church, and I did 
not find your name—ought it not to be there T The 
appeal was most touching. That name, I trust, is 
now in the Lamb’s Book of Life. 

Rev. James Porter, the fourth pastor, was earnest, 
devout, faithful—ready for every good word and work. 
The Sabbath evening conference meetings, especial¬ 
ly at the North school-house,—at which Deacon 
Payson, Deacon Oliver Grosvenor, Job Williams, 
(afterwards Deacon) and Oliver C. Grosvenor, were 
the prominent speakers—full, interesting and solemn 
—the concert as at first observed on the first Monday 
evening of each month with its contribution—the 
catechizing of the children of the church by the pas¬ 
tor at the meeting-house, once or twice a year—the 
formation of a Bible-class to meet at the parsonage 
during the week—the organization of the first Sab¬ 
bath School with one class of boys and two classes of 



70 

girls, with Major Copeland, Superintendent and teach¬ 
er of the boys class—these are some of the prominent 
points in my memory of Mr. Porter’s ministry. In the 
Sabbath School we only rehearsed scripture. Soiax^ 
of the girls would commit to memory more than a: 
thousand verses a week. Mr. Porter was a zealous 
and efficient worker in the temperance cause. The 
first movements on this subject, and the ridicule and! 
opposition they encountered, are fresh in my memory,- 
as, also, are many of the sad evidences of the need of 
such a movement. Mr. Benjamin White, of Provi¬ 
dence, gave me this reminiscence ; Mr. Porter had 
attended a meeting at Thompson, at which the tem¬ 
perance question had been discussed. In giving an 
account of the meeting to his own people, he said :— 
“ They talked well—they talked right—but spoiled it 
all by taking their grog before they left.” Mr. P„ 
practiced and earnestly advocated total abstinence. 

I recollect but a single instance of admission to the 
church, previous to the revival of 1821. Two per¬ 
sons were received on profession of their faith; one 
was Sylvanus Backus, a prominent lawyer, and a mem¬ 
ber of Congress,the other a poor widow, of small intel¬ 
lect, in feeble health, and entirely dependent on others 
for the means of support. The wide contrast between 
the two, as they stood together, to confess Christ, their 
common Lord and Redeemer, in whom the whole 
Church is one, made an impression never to be erased. 

My friends, as we here to-day recount the worthy 
deeds of our fathers, and remember all the way in 
which the Lord our God hath led us, as a church, 
these hundred and fifty years, let us renew the conse^ 
cration of ourselves to God—let us gird up the loins 
of our minds, and watch and pray, and work, till the 
summons shall come, and we be gathered to our fa-, 
thers, to be forever with the Lord* 


71 


Greeting of the eliot church in roxbury, 

BY ITS PASTOR, 

KEY. A. C. THOMPSON. 


Reverend and beloved, the Pastor and members of 
this First Church in Pomfret:—The Eliot church in 
Roxbury, Massachusetts, salutes you to-day. As the 
pastor of that church, I am peculiarly happy in being 
present on your invitation, at this delightful jubilee, 
and to bring you the hearty congratulations of those 
in that city who hold the same faith and polity with 
yourselves. 

It has appeared repeatedly among the reminiscen¬ 
ces of this occasion that the original proprietors of 
your township, and the first members of your church, 
as well as its first pastor, the Rev. Ebenezer Williams, 
were from Roxbury. There then, in some sense, is 
your mother country. We fully appreciate the inter¬ 
est with which your thoughts turn to the home of 
John Eliot. We suppose that his tour among the 
Indians of this region, “The Nipmuck Country,” in 
the years 1673-4, was the circumstance which first 
called the attention of people there to this section, 
then a wilderness, and led ultimately to its settlement. 
Referring to such missionary excursions, that apostolic 
man says in one of his letters, “I have not been dry 
night nor day, from the third day of the week unto 
the sixth, but so travelled, and at night pull off my 
boots, wring my stockings and on with them again, 
'and so continue. But God steps in and helps.” 
When certain Indian chiefs threatened him, Ijis reply, 
:as you recollect, was, “I am about the work of the 



72 

Great God, and my God is with me; so that I fear 
neither you nor all the Sachems in the country. I 
will go on, and do you touch me if you dare.” 

In 1683, the colony of Massachusetts granted to 
Eoxbury a tract seven miles square, at Quatosset, af¬ 
terwards called New Eoxbury, but later known as 
Woodstock, your neighboring town. The grant con¬ 
tained this condition, that there should be settled with¬ 
in two years, and maintained, “an able, an orthodox 
godly minister.” Eliot was then seventy-nine years of 
age. His prayers, no doubt, often went up in behalf 
of the enterprise. That movement, which also pre-„ 
pared the way for the settlement of your town, and 
organization of your church, was one which largely 
occupied the attention of people there at that period. 
Our town records from 1683 onward for many years, 
give to no one subject a larger space than to that. 

At the age of 86 that apostolic man, among whose 
last words were, “welcome joy,” finished his long and 
laborious career, and was welcomed, we doubt not, 
with the salutation, “Enter thou into the joy of thy 
Lord.” 

This memorable church of Pomfret came into being 
during the ministry of Eliot’s successor, Nehemiah 
Walter, who had been two years colleague with him 
and whom Whitefield speaks of as a “Good old Puri¬ 
tan.” The pastorates of those two men covered a pe¬ 
riod of one hundred and eighteen consecutive years. 

It is perhaps known to you as a matter of historical 
record that “The people of Eoxbury were of the best 
that came over,” that they were “not of the poorer 
sort.” It is certainly a matter for thanksgiving that 
your fathers enjoyed the ministry of such godly men 
as Eliot and Walter, whose impress may not improb¬ 
ably still be traced among yourselves. 

At the period when this church was organized, the 


73 

names of Chandler, Craft,and Gore, of Grosvenor, Rug- 
gles, and Sabin, of Tucker, Williams, and White, were 
honored names there. Chief Justice Paul Dudley was 
a communicant, as well as his distinguished father, 
Governor Joseph Dudley, who, like his cotemporary, 
Saltonstall, of Connecticut, and your present Chief 
Magistrate, was an exemplary Christian. 

In later times the First Church of Roxbury has, as 
you are aware, adopted a faith differing from that 
of the fathers. We cannot refrain from express¬ 
ing our marked satisfaction that no such change has 
taken place among you. It is as those standing in an 
apostolic succession, bearing the name and represent¬ 
ing the sentiments of Eliot, that we have been invited, 
and are happy to express our fraternal salutation to¬ 
day. 

On leaving home I took with me two ancient vol¬ 
umes, one of them a series of Sacramental Sermons, 
the other entitled, “The Wonderfulness of Christ,” by 
Nehemiah Walters. Finding that so far as it appears 
these works are not in the possession of any one re¬ 
siding here, I desire that you will kindly accept the 
same. They will indicate the teachings under which 
the views and character of your fathers were formed. 
I learn that you have no Church Library. May I be 
permitted to express the hope that these two Puritan 
productions may form the nucleus of a collection to be 
owned by yourselves, and to accumulate for the use of 
your present and future pastors. 

It is my pleasure also, to bring to this Sabbatli 
School, the greetings of the Eliot Sabbath School in 
Roxbury. There is perhaps no other early New Eng¬ 
land name with which the religious instruction of the 
young is more suitably and fully associated, than that 
of John Eliot. He prepared catechisms for the chil¬ 
dren. On the records during his pastorship, is the 


74 

following minute: “This day we restored a primitive 
practice for ye training up of our youth. 1st, That 
the male youth (in fitting season) stay, every Sabbath, 
after morning exercise, and the elders examine their 
remembrance in every part of the catechism. 2d, 
That the female youth should also meet in one place 
and their elders examine their remembrance in the 
catechism, and whatever else may convene.” This 
bears the date, “1674, 6th, 10th month—the same 
year as one of the missionary tours I have referred to; 
and that was perhaps the oldest Sabbath School es¬ 
tablished on this continent. It was a saying and a 
principle with John Eliot, that “The care of the lambs 
is one third part of the charge over the Church of 
God.” Sitting in one of your parlors this morning, I 
opened an elegant Bible, and found a note indicating 
that it was a gift from yourselves, a token of gratitude 
and affection to your beloved and faithful Superinten¬ 
dent.* At the bottom of the note is a reference to 
John’s Gospel, 21 : 15. It was that passage which 
suggested the maxim I have just given, the memora¬ 
ble charge of our Lord to Peter being, “ Feed my 
lambs, feed my sheep ; feed my sheep.” 

The dates standing conspicuously on the first page 
of your programme are suggestive. 1715—1865. 
How unlike was the Pomfret, the New England and 
our whole country of that day to what they now are ! 
The first news paper published on this Continent— 
“ The Boston News Letter”—had been in existence 
only eleven years. There was no printing done in 
Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia or the Carolinas.. 
The first schooner had been built only one year, and 
the first post office established in the country only five 
years. Eliot once wrote a letter to a friend in Eng¬ 
land, and sent it by the way of Virginia and through. 


♦Lewis Williams, M. D. 



Spain. At the date of your organization the first 
printing press in Connecticut had been at work only 
six years ; while the whole population of Connecticut 
was equal to but half the present number of inhabi¬ 
tants of Roxbury. A highly respected lady born in 
Boston 81 years ago, told me to-day that when a mere 
child she was once lost in a pasture near where the 
Revere House now stands in that city. In 1715, 
Yale College was still at Saybrook ; the founder of 
Pennsylvania was still living ; President Edwards was 
still a youth, and Benjamin Franklin a school-boy; 
but Washington and Putnam were not yet born. What 
changes have an hundred and fifty years wrought 
within our borders ! What vast strides in territorial 
enlargement, numerical increase, civil and social ad¬ 
vancement, and most of all in the cause of our Lord 
Jesus Christ! 

We rejoice with you, brethren, in the happy nation¬ 
al auspices under which you celebrate this jubilee. 
We rejoice with you in the hallowed reminiscences of 
an hundred and fifty years of local history, the periods 
of special divine quickening among you, the stated 
seasons of sacramental fellowship, and the treasured 
memories of your saintly dead. Holding like pre¬ 
cious faith with yourselves, and in anticipation of the 
Great Jubilee when all true churches of our Lord 
shall be gathered together in one, I give you in behalf 
of the Eliot church, this right hand of fraternal greet¬ 
ing. 


76 


KEY. MR. WEBBER’S ADDRESS. 


Christian Friends :—At this late hour of the day, 
and after the “ feast of reason and flow of soul” that 
we have enjoyed, my part of the entertainment might 
well be dispensed with. I shall detain you only a 
few moments. I should not indeed consent to say any¬ 
thing, as the twilight is now darkening around us, did 
I not desire to express my great pleasure in being 
with you on this anniversary occasion. It is some¬ 
thing more than a pleasure. There is an earnest, sol¬ 
emn feeling in being here, surpassing anything of the 
kind I have ever felt, as I have been carried back to¬ 
day by the historical discourse and papers to which we 
have listened, to “ remember the days of old,” and 
“ consider the years of many generations.” Standing as 
I do amid the scenes of my childhood, with my heart 
full of childhood’s holiest memories, I feel somehow 
as Jacob did, when he awoke out of his Bethel-dream, 
“and he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this 
place ! this is none other but the house of God, and 
this is the gate of heaven.” 

You will not expect me, who am not old, to enter¬ 
tain you with reminiscences of the past. My memory 
goes not back of the dedication of this meeting-house, 
which is the remotest thing of which I have any dis¬ 
tinct recollection. I remember of seeing the Rev. Mr. 
Porter, and of hearing the people speak of him with 
great respect and afiection; but it was years after his 
dismission from the pastorate of this church. Mr. 
Benidict was my first pastor. He baptized me. 1 
was but a little child when he w T ent away. I recall 
him as a very dignified gentleman, somewhat precise 



77 

and stiff in his manners. [I remember one day—be¬ 
ing called in from play, hastily washed and dressed, 
and ushered into his presence, and of having an awful 
sense of it. His sermons I could not understand, of 
course, but I recollect of thinking he preached very 
long. One instance I recall distinctly. I then sup¬ 
posed that in making a sermon the minister took his 
text, talked about so long on each word, till he had 
gone through it. On the occasion to which I refer, 
the text began with the word, “ moreover .” After sit¬ 
ting with my legs hanging over the bench till they 
ached, I was thinking it must be about time for him 
to stop, when my ears caught the word moreover ; 
whereupon, I sank back into my seat in utter despair, 
wondering if he has not gotten by the first word of the 
text, when on earth will he have done with it!] 

The first pastor of this church whose sermons I 
was old enough to understand was the Rev. Mr. Hunt, 
to-day, by the blessing of God, with us, though no 
longer pastor, to add by his presence and interesting 
historic papers to the pleasure of the occasion. As he 
has given an account of those who filled the sacred of¬ 
fice before him in this place, I should be glad to ex¬ 
press my recollections of him and my estimate of his 
services. But this, time, and perhaps propriety, will 
notallow. Yet so much my heart urges me to say. 
Since leaving you, about twenty years ago, I have pur¬ 
sued, to some extent, the paths of science and of liter¬ 
ature. I have listened to lectures on philosophy and 
theology from the ablest minds of this and other lands. 
I have heard the sermons of some of the ablest preach¬ 
ers of the age, but I can truly say, I have never read 
or heard anything which made so deep an impression 
on my mind at the time, which staid by me so long, 
and which has done me so much good for time, and I 


78 

trust for eternity, as the sermons which in my boyhood 
I heard within these sacred walls from the lips of my 
much beloved friend and spiritual father who sits here 
at my right hand. I say this as my testimony to the 
power of preaching upon the minds of the young, as 
well as to the ability and affectionate faithfulness of my 
former pastor, and I am sure that the young people 
who have gune out from this place to other places, 
some of whom have returned with me to-day, would, 
if they had opportunity, bear the same testimony, and 
now, sir, in their behalf and my own, I want to take 
you by the hand, and in this public place, thank you 
for all the good you have done me and this people, in 
the name of Christ. God bless you, sir, and grant 
you yet many years of happy leisure, sheltered in the 
affection of this first and only people of your charge. 

Let me also take you, sir, (Lev. Mr. Alexander) by 
the hand, in expression of my interest in you—till now 
a stranger—as the pastor of this church where the in¬ 
fancy of my religious life was cradled. May your 
head be as clear, your heart as pure, your years of la¬ 
bor as many, as useful and acceptable, as have been 
those of your predecessor. 

To-day we have been led to think and speak much 
with each other of the things that change. But I 
thank God there are some things that do not change. 
God is unchangeable. Jesus Christ is the same yes¬ 
terday, to-day, and forever. That Bible there does not 
alter. Semper idem is written on its every truth and 
promise. That text which I see, in letters of ever¬ 
green, overarching this desk, is happily chosen, “ His 
truth endureth to all generations.” The same doc¬ 
trines, in substance, which the fathers, who founded 
this church one hundred and fifty years ago believed 
and taught, we their children believe and teach. “All 


79 

flesh is grass and all the glory of man as the flower of 
grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof 
falleth away : but the word of the Lord endureth for¬ 
ever, and this is the word which by the Gospel is 
preached unto you!' Human nature too is unchanged. 

Customs and manners alter,but the human soul with 
its weakness and debasement on the one side, and its 
affinities and unquenchable aspirations for God on the 
other, is the same to-day as ever. And lastly, the ef¬ 
fects of the preaching of the truth upon the soul are 
imperishable. The old sanctuary in which we worship¬ 
ed, may rot in the weather, and be torn down, but ev¬ 
ery impression of truth received, every holy feeling, 
every right impulse awakened within its walls, arc 
built into one immortality, and will endure forever. 
These things are full of encouragement to me. With 
such thoughts as these, shall we not go from these 
solemn and deeply interesting commemorative services 
to our separate places of abode, with new heart to 
work in the common cause of our Lord and Saviour l 
Though this anniversary day reminds us how quickly 
one generation goeth and another cometh, though these 
few leaves of autumn tell how we all do fade, though 
the solemn tolling of the bell announces that one after 
another of those we love are passing away, though 
the changing forms of outward things suggest 
with what a swift but noiseless rush the objects of the 
senses are hastening to their final dissolution—yet, 
for all this, will we not slack our hand one whit, but 
toil on—knowing that albeit the fashion of the world 
passeth away, he that doeth the will of God abideth 
forever. 

Thanking you for your attention to these remarks 
at this late hour, expressing again the joy I feel in be¬ 
ing on “ my native heath” once more in such pleasant 


80 


circumstances, and praying, as my heart ever shall, 
God bless the first church of Christ in Pomfret, 1 
bid you good night. 


APPENDIX 


ORDER OF EXERCISES. 


M O R N I N G . 


Voluntary, ------- 

Anthem, - - - The Lord is my Strength. 

Heading of Scriptures and Prayer, 

By Rev. Daniel Hunt. 


ANNIVERSARY ODE, 

By a Member of the Church. 

» 

I. 

Joyfully come we before Thee this day, 

Lord of our lives, our reason, our strength! 

A Church that long years’ has continued to pray, 

And that Thou has blest throughout the years length; 
Trusting that thus a token is given, 

That we have a name in the kingdom of Heaven. 


II. 

Friends from afar! we greet you to-day. 

Gathered once more by our Mother, the Church, 

One common interest she bids us to pay, 

While each for “the truth in Jesus” must search. 
Kindly re-unions encourage the heart, 

In the weal of the Church, Christian love hath full part. 

III. 

Nor shall we forget those who come never more, 

From the Home far above, where their spirits find rest; 







82 

The Fathers, the Mothers, the Children of yore, 

Who sought here for help, and the Lord’s name confessed; 
Who gave of their best, their substance, their wills, 

To set up the light of God’s lamp on these hills. 

IV. 

May the light shine afar, and its rays still illume 
Some spots in the valleys, that else had been shade. 

May the leaven of truth, that naught can consume, 

Spread abroad in the land, against error arrayed; 

And thus may the Church, and her children give back 
To the Lord through His Poof, “Give to him who hath lack.” 


V. 

Thanks do we bring to Thee, Maker of all! 

For the blessings of life, and the knowledge of Heaven, 

Trusting for grace to answer the call, 

And act well the part which to each Thou hast given; 

Now may we evermore join as in one, 

To worship the Father, the Spirit, the Son. 

Addi 'ess, - - Bv Kev. Walter S. Alexander, 

Pastor of the Church. 

HYMN. 

Tune. Denwald. 

1 . 

Great is the Lord our God, 

And let his praise be great, 

He makes his churches his abode, 

His most delightful seat. 

II. 

Those temples of his grace— 

How beautiful they stand! 

The honors of our native place, 

And bulwarks of our land. 

III. 

In Zion God is known, 

A refuge in distress; 

How bright has his salvation shone 
Through all her palaces! 

1Y. 

Oft have our fathers told, 

Our eyes have often seen, 

How well our God secures the fold 
Where his own sheep have been. 

Y. 

In every new distress 
We’ll to his house repair, 

We’ll think upon his wondrous grace, 

And seek deliverance there. 






83 

Historical Paper—The Pastors of the Church, 

By Rev. Daniel Hunt. 

The Memory of the Rev. Aaron Putnam, the Second 

Pastor of the Church, by lion. David P. Hall, of New York. 

Reminiscences of Pomfret, By A. Putnam Storrs, 

Of Owego, N. Y. 

Anthem.—How beautiful upon the mountains. 

THE SABBATH SCHOOL. 

Hymn.—Happy greeting to all. 

Address. By Rev. H. C. Trumbull ? 

of Hartford. 

Hymn.—’Tis Anniversary Hay. 

Address, - - By Mr. Hawley of Hartford. 

Hymn.—A Hundred Years to come. 


AFTERNOON. 


Voluntary, - - - - - - 

Anthem.—Praise waiteth for thee, O God in Zion. 
Historical Paper.—Meeting-houses of Pomfret, 

By Rev. Daniel Hunt. 


HYMN. 

Tune. Lisbon. 

I. 

I love thy kingdom, Lord,— 

The house of thine abode, 

The church our blest Redeemer saved, 
With his own precious blood. 



84 


ii. 

I love thy church, O God! 

Her walls before thee stand, 

Dear as the apple of thine eye, 
And graven on thy hand. 

III. 

For her my tears shall fall, 

For her my prayers ascend; 

To her my cares and toils be given, 
Till toils and cares shall end. 


Address.—Personal Recollections, 

By Rev. C. P. Grosvenor, of Canterbury. 
HYMN. 

Tune. Concord. 

I. 

The hill of Zion yields 
A thousand sacred sweets, 

Before we reach the golden fields, 

Or walk the golden streets. 

Then let our songs abound, 

And every tear be dry; 

We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground 
To fairer worlds on high. 


Address.—The Old Churches of the Hills ; the Nur¬ 

series of those in the Valleys, 

By Rev. George Soule, of Hampton. 
HYMN. 

Tune. Invitation. 

Come my beloved, haste away, 

Cut short the hours of thy delay; 

Fly like a youthful hart or roe, 

Over the hills where spices grow. 


Address.—Congregationalism admits of the broadest 

Christian fellowship; it reaches the hand of brotherhood to all who love 
our Lord Jesus Christ. 

By Rev. Andrew Dunning, of Thompson. 

The Greeting of the Parent Church in Poxbury to her 

Eldest-born, the First Church of Christ in Pomfret. 

By Agustus C. Thompson, I). I)., of Roxburv. 


85 

HYMN. 

Tune. Lenox. 

I. 

Yc tribes of Adam join, 

With heaven, and earth, and seas, 
And offer notes divine, 

To your Creator’s praise. 

Ye holy throng | In words of light, 

Of angels bright, | Begin the song. 


II. 

Let all the people fear 
The God that rules above. 

He brings his people near, 

And makes them taste his love. 

While eartli and sky | His saints shall raise 
Attempt his praise, | His honors high. 

Religion—The source from which Art derives its high¬ 

est conceptions. By Henry Dexter, of Cambridgeport, Mass. 


Historical Paper—Steps of Progress, 

By Rev. Daniel Hunt. 


HYMN. 

Tune. Coronation. 

I. 

All bail the power of Jesus’ name! 

Let angels prostrate fall; 

Bring forth the royal diadem. 

And crown him Lord of all. 


II. 

Let [every kindred, every tribe, 

On this terrestrial ball. 

To Him all majesty ascibe, 

And crown him Lord of all. 

Address. By Rev. Geo. N. Webber, of Lowell, Mass. 
Address. By His Excellency, Gov. Buckingham. 

HYMN. 

Tune. Old Hundred. 

(The Congregation are invited to join.) 

I. 

Be thou exalted, 0 my God! 

Above the heavens where angels dwell; 

Thy power on earth be known abroad, 

And land to land thy wonders tell, 


86 


li. 

High o’er the eurtli his mercy reigns, 
And reaches to the utmost sky; 

His truth to endless years remains, 
When lower worlds dissolve and die. 


DOXOLOGY. 

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow! 
Praise Him, all creatures here below! 
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host! 
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

BENEDICTION. 


O- 


¥ 


Social Iie-Union at 7 1-2 o’clock, P.M., at the House of Col. Chas, Mathewson 






87 


SKETCH OF THE GENERAL HISTORY OF POMFRET. 


BY REV. D. HUNT. 


The tract of land originally known as the “Masha- 
moquet purchase,” and afterwards incorporated as the 
town of Pomfret, containing fifteen thousand one hun¬ 
dred acres, was deeded by Capt. James Fitch, of Nor¬ 
wich, for the consideration of thirty pounds lawful 
money, to Samuel Ruggles, Sen., John Chandler, 
Benjamin Sabin, Samuel Craft, John Grosvenor and 
Samuel Buggies, Jr., of Roxbury, Mass., and six other 
persons whom they might choose to be joint proprie¬ 
tors with them. The persons chosen were, John 
Pierpont, John White, John Ruggles, John Gore, 
Samuel Gore and Thomas Morey. 

The deed was executed May 5th, 1668. It was 
signed by James Fitch, also by Owaneco, sachem of 
the Mohegans, and his son Josiah. 

This purchase was confirmed by the General As¬ 
sembly of Connecticut, with a view to its becoming a 
town, July 8th, 1686. An agentwas employed to survey 
the “purchase,” and to divide one half into twelve parts 
of equal value, which were, severally, assigned to the 
proprietors by lot. The remaining one half was held 
as joint stock. 

Some of the proprietors settled upon their lands as 
soon as the allotment was made ; others, at. different 
periods, afterwards; while some never came, but sold 
the divided part, and ultimately, the whole of their 
shares. 




88 

The town was subsequently enlarged by several 
purchases—one of Governor Belcher, including the 
territory lying east of the Mashamoquet purchase, 
and extending to the Quinebaug river ; another, made 
by John Blackwell, including the eastern part of the 
present town of Brooklyn ; another, by William Stod¬ 
dard, Esq., lying in the western part of Brooklyn, and 
in the eastern part of Hampton ; and lastly, by a nar¬ 
row strip of land lying between the Mashamoquet 
purchase and the Stoddard Land, which was made by 
Mr. Benjamin. 

The original purchase, being a part of the country 
called the u Wabbaquasset Hills,” was once a favorite 
residence of the Indians. Some families were resid¬ 
ing here, when the first white people came, and the 
remains of their habitations continued many years. 

The geological formation of this town gives charac¬ 
ter to its scenery and to its soil. The hills, many of 
which have considerable elevation, are oblong with 
their shortest axes from east to west, and are curved 
with great regularity. Dr. Dwight in his travels in 
New* England, says of Pomfret,—“It is, to my eye, one 
of the most beautiful townships in this region. The 
hills are universally arched obtusely from North to 
South, with narrower arches from East to West, and 
in both cases are remarkably exact and singularly 
elegant inclosures of stone often described as they 
bend over the hills, what appears to the eye a perfect 
arch of a circle.” The stones upon the surface, par¬ 
ticularly upon the Mashamoquet purchase, were 
brought by the “drift formation .” The rock, in place, 
is wholly decomposed on the surface, cropping out 
only in the valleys and ravines. 

The proportion of clay in the soil makes it retentive 
of water, and consequently stiff and cold in the spring. 
It also gives more than an average dampness to the 


89 

atmosphere throughout the year, and reduces the mean 
temperature below that of adjoining towns. But the 
soil is strong—contains a large proportion of organic 
matter, and when thoroughly worked, gives full returns 
of grass and grain. There is probably but little land 
in the state which pays better for the labor which is 
bestowed upon it. 

There are three streams of water winding through 
this town, which retain their original Indian names. 
The largest is the Mashamoquet, from which the first 
purchase took its name. The other two empty into 
this—viz : the Wappoquians, which runs by the bury¬ 
ing ground in the first parish, and the Neewichewan- 
na, which comes from the hills in the south part of the 
town. 

The educational history of the town is worthy of 
some notice. It appears from the records of the town, 
that immediately upon the erection of the meeting¬ 
house, and before it was finished, they voted to 4 ‘erect 
a school-house near the meeting-house.” A commit¬ 
tee was also appointed to oversee the affairs of the 
school, in general. In 1723 there were three schools 
established and in full operation, one in the center, 
one in the north and another in the south part of the 
town. In 1729 it was voted, “to raise one penny on 
the pound to defray the expenses of the schools,” the 
town also directed the selectmen to allow any number 
of families living remote from the established school, 
upon request, to establish one in their vicinity. Thus 
arrangements were early made for the instruction of 
all the youth of the town. These arrangements contin¬ 
ued with some modifications, until the dispensation of 
the 4 ‘School Fund,” and the system of laws connected 
therewith. 

The early inhabitants made special efforts to furnish 
themselves with the means of general and useful 


90 

knowledge. In 1739, sixteen men raised the sum of 
two hundred and fifty-four pounds for the establish¬ 
ment of a library. After the formation of the society 
others quickly joined them, and paid an additional 
sum of one hundred and eighty-five pounds. With 
these funds a valuable purchase of books was made 
in London, and presents of books were also received 
from gentlemen in England.—There is a vote of 
thanks on the record of the society, to Rev. Dr. Guise 
of London, for his published works. To this associa¬ 
tion, Gen. Israel Putnam was admitted Aug. 27th, 
1753, and paid sixteen pounds “old tenor.” 

The early history of this town in the cause of civil 
freedom is most honorable. The first inhabitants were 
themselves free men ; they belonged to a race who, 
like their pastor and teacher, John Elliot, “knew no 
king but Jesus.” They considered all others to be 
usurpers, both temporally and spiritually. In the 
belief and practice of this sentiment, they lived through 
the colonial state. The character of Putnam was but 
an exponent of the principles and feelings of the pe‘ople 
around him; the inhabitants of this vicinity made the 
man. 

The following lettter from the Selectmen of Boston 
to the Selectmen of Pomfret, July 8th, 1774, when 
the British troops were quartered there, will show the 
state of feeling in both places : 

Gentlemen :—By the hand of Mr. Elias Wells we re¬ 
ceived your generous and kind benefaction for the poor 
of this distressed town. We cannot enough express our 
gratitude for this instance of your bounty, in which 
you have liberally contributed to the relief of many. 
What you have thus lent to the Lord, we trust and 
pray that He will pay you again. It gives us great 
consolation amidst our complicated and unparelelled 
sufferings, that our brethren in other colonies show 


91 

such Christian sympathy and true benevolence towards 
us. That we are greatly distressed needs no comment. 
Our harbor blockaded by a fleet of ships ; our foreign 
trade actually annihilated ; thousands of poor reduced 
to extreme want; troops continually pouring in upon us 
to insult us in our distress; is a consideration that 
must excite the pity of the most obdurate. However, 
although we thus suffer, we are willing to suffer still 
more, rather than give up our birthright priviliges. 
With great regard, we are your brethren and humble 
servants.” 

In 1774, a company was formed in this town, with 
reference to the threatening appearence of the times. 
Stephen Brown was the captain, subsequently killed 
at the taking of Mud Fort, and Thomas Grosvenor, 
afterwards Colonel, the Lieutenant. Immediately af¬ 
ter the news of the battle of Lexington, this company 
marched to Cambridge, and was engaged in the battle 
of Bunker Hill, where three Pomfret men were killed., 
and fifteen wounded. 

At a town meeting in March, 1779, the town voted 
to appoint a committee to supply the families of the 
poor, whose husbands and fathers were gone into ser¬ 
vice. Then the question was put, whether the town 
would take any measures to encourage and promote 
the speedy raising and enlisting of men to fill up the 
number to be raised in the town, according to the pro¬ 
posal of the Governor and council,—passed in the 
affirmative. Also, voted, and agreed to firmly unite 
among ourselves, and strictly to adhere to the laws 
regulating prices, and to use our joint and several in¬ 
fluences, to support and maintain the same as a very- 
important regulation, for the support of the army, and 
preventing every measure, artfully taken for the op¬ 
pression of the poor. Also, voted that the sum of 
twenty-four pounds, lawful money, be paid to each ef- 


92 

fective man that has or shall enlist into the Continen¬ 
tal army, for three years or during the war, in this 
town, by the 7th day of April, next, not exceeding 
eighty men.” This money appears to have been rais¬ 
ed partly by subscriptions, and partly by tax. 

Under this encouragement, seventy-one men, from 
this town, enlisted into the continental service. The 
town paid them a bounty of three thousand four hun¬ 
dred and seven pounds ; and for the support of their 
families, two thousand eight hundred and eighty-nine 
pounds, in all, six thousand two hundred and ninety- 
six pounds; or twenty thousand nine hundred and 
sixty-five dollars, ($20,965). 

Since the Revolution, the history of Pomfret has 
been that of a quiet agricultural town, varied by the 
small occasions which arise in such a community. 
We have no watch-power. The construction of rail¬ 
roads has changed the course of travel in relation to 
us and moved the centres of business. Parts of the 
town have been p.ired off to make other towns. Our 
surface has been contracted, our population diminished. 
But what remains, we love,—our soil is valuable. 
We hope that the character and the spirit of freedom, 
which belonged to the original inhabitants will go down 
through all the generations to come. 

This town undoubtedly took its name from the cele¬ 
brated town of Pontefroct, (or Pomfret) situated on the 
Aire in the West Riding of the Yorkshire, England, 
for that was the only place in the world, which held 
this name at the time the town was incorporated. But 
why, I have been unable to learn. I do not find that 
any of the original proprietors came from that part of 
Yorkshire. It may be that the famous Castle of Pom¬ 
fret, where so many persons of royal blood and heirs 
the throne perished—making Earl Rivers exclaim, 


93 


“ O Pomfret, Pomfret; O thou bloody prison! fatal 
and ominous to noble peers,”—was brought to the 
mind of the fathers by the sight of these hills and 
steeps, inspiring the hope that here all royalty and 
oppression and whatsoever lusteth against civil and 
religious freedom, should forever die. 

Respecting the original name as applied to the an¬ 
cient English town and castle—which means “ Broken 
Bridge”—(from the Latin pons and frango) there are 
some pleasant traditions. 

One is connected with the history of St. William, 
Archbishop of York. He was returning from Rome, 
whence he had received the pall—was met by such 
crowds of people who assembled to crave his blessing 
that a bridge over the Aire, broke down and great 
numbers fell into the water. The holy prelate was 
greatly moved at the sight, and prayed for them so 
fervently and with such acceptance that not one per¬ 
ished. This event occurred Sunday, feast of Ascen¬ 
sion, A. D. 1154. 

There is some doubt about the miraculous part of 
the above legend, but none that the town derives its 
name from the decay or breaking down of some bridge 
near by. 

The following are the names of the persons who 
first signed the agreement to sustain the preaching of 
the gospel in this town, May 3rd, 1713:—Benjamin 
Sabin, John Sabin, Nathaniel Gary, Benjamin Sit- 
ton, Samuel Gates, Edward Payson, Samuel Paine, 
John Cummings, Samuel Warner, Josiah Sabin, 
Thomas Goodell, Seth Paine, Philemon Chandler, 
Daniel Allen, David Allen, Joseph Tucker, Lemuel 
Taylor, Leicester Grosvenor, Ebenezer Grosvenor, 
Benjamin Sabin, Jr., Jeremiah Sabin, Stephen Sabin, 
Ebenezer Sabin. 


✓ 


94 

DEACONS OF THE FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST OF POMFRET. 

The first Deacons were Denjamin Sabin and Phile¬ 
mon Chandler. Dea. Sabin was one of the original 
proprietors of the town. He was the first of the 
twenty-three persons who signed the agreement to 
sustain the preaching of the gospel. He was also 
chairman of committee for building the meeting house. 
He died 1725, aged 80 years. 

Dea. Chandler was one of said building committee. 
He gave the town the burying ground, which was ac¬ 
cepted by vote March 24, 1719. He died 1752, aged 
81 years. 

Ebenezer Holbrook chosen-. Died Jan. 6, 

1768, aged —. 

Samuel Sumner chosen-. Died Feb. 8, 1782, 

aged 87 years. He was the father of Rev. Dr. Joseph 
Sumner, of Shrewsbury, Mass. 

Jonathan Dresser, chosen Jan. 25, 1758. Died 
Jan. 17, 1790. 

John Holbrook, chosen probably as successor to his 
father, Dea. Ebenezer, March 6, 1768. Died 1778. 

‘David Williams, chosen Oct. 4, 1759. Moved to 
Woodstock, and dismissed to the church there 1792. 

Simon Cotton, chosen Sept. 2, 1778. Died July 
16, 1819, aged 79 years. 

Caleb Hayward was chosen Nov. 10, 1785. Died 
Jan. 22, 1823, aged 91 years. 

John H. Payson, chosen June 16, 1800. Died Ju¬ 
ly 12, 1825, aged 61 years. 

William Sabin, chosen June 16, 1800. Died Nov. 
15, 1814, aged 73 years. 

Oliver Grosvenor, chosen May 9, 1805. Died May 
13, 1824, aged 81 years. 




95 

Job Williams, chosen Jan. 9, 1819. Died March 
5, 1863, aged 78 years. 

Zephaniah Williams, chosen July 5, 1822. Died 
April 25, 1838, aged 61 years. 

Lewis Averill, chosen June 29, 1838. 

George B. Mathewson, chosen August 17, 1855. 


96 

NOTE. 

We regret that the eloquent address of Ilis Excellency, Gov, Buckingham, 
and the very appropriate address of Rev. Mr. Soule could not be secured for 
publication. With these exceptions this pamphlet is a faithful record of this 
most interesting anniversary in the history of this ancient church. 


ERRATA. 

In a review of the pamphlet the following errors have been detected: 

On the 9th, 10th, and 13th pages read maintenance for maintainance. 

On the 15th page read and for rnd; teaching for teachin. 

On 20th page read Father’s for Fathers. 

On 48th page read Palceontologists for Palaeontologists. 

On 59th page read dissenters for dissentions. 

On 62d page read or society for on society. 

On 84th page read simply, “ Address by Rev. Mr. Dunning.” 

“ “ “ read “The Greeting of the Eliot church in Roxbury to the 

First church of Christ in Pomfret.” 




























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